I see calling "... mak[ing] what was once a hypothetical threat into a terrifying reality" as a gross understatement! ~ and it guess worse as the article continues ~ ~ I can just picture the NRA salivating while "X-g" days off their calendar ~ there are "live links" to more/corroborating info in the original ~ Sooz

Only Law That’s Standing In Way Of Completely Legal Undetectable Guns Is About To Expire
By Rebecca Leber on November 14, 2013 at 2:32 pm

On December 9, a law banning firearms that can go unnoticed by a metal detector is set to expire. Since 1988, the Undetectable Firearms Act has banned undetectable guns, which can be made from plastic through 3D printers.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) have introduced legislation that expands the undetectable firearms law to ban 3D-printed guns, require guns to be recognizable as guns, and them to contain significant metal. “The expiration of this law, combined with advances in 3D printing, make what was once a hypothetical threat into a terrifying reality,” Schumer said, according to the Associated Press. Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) introduced his own version in the House to renew the law. Still, the urgency of the issue does not mean Congress will take up the bills in its remaining days.

Even the soon-to-expire law contains a major loophole that permits plastic guns as long as they have a small metal piece that could be easily removed. One widespread model, the Liberator, uses a nail so small that it would not be picked up by metal detectors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recently tested the model, only to find that “the .380 bullets fired from the Liberator penetrate sufficiently to reach vital organs and perforate the skull.”

It is still expensive to print a working gun, upwards of $100,000, although the technology is becoming cheaper and more widespread. “This is more for someone who wants to get into an area and perhaps be an assassin,” an ATF official told the Wall Street Journal. “Or they want to go to a courthouse and shoot a witness.”

The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly warned that it may be impossible to limit access to 3D printed guns. Given current law, the challenges are immense: 3D printed guns don’t require a license to make or own and the amount of metal required is often not enough to be detected by metal detectors. As policy lags behind, the technology keeps progressing. Now, 3D printers can manufacture bullets and metal guns, too.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/11/14/2942321/undetectable-plastic-guns/

Simply HORRIFYING ~ not only the idea, but the attitude fueling it ~ ~ Sooz

Attorney General worried about proliferation of 3-D printed weaponry if ‘Undetectable Firearms Act’ allowed to expire
By Scott Kaufman
Friday, November 15, 2013 21:13 EST

The 25-year-old ban on firearms that can’t be detected by metal detectors is set to expire in December, and Attorney General Eric Holder is concerned that the 3-D printing technology could lead to a vast increase in the number of metal-free guns being smuggled into and out of the country.

“This is a very worrisome threat to law enforcement and to people who fly every day. We can’t have guns legally in circulation that are not detectable by metal detectors,” Holder said in a statement.

“Whatever people’s feelings are about gun-safety legislation, this is something we should all agree needs to be reauthorized.”

The 1988 Undetectable Firearms Act is scheduled to expire on December 9th. It requires that all guns — even plastic ones — contain at least one metal element that can be detected by existing detection technology.

Proposals to renew the act have been submitted by Bill Nelson, a Democrat in the Senate, and Steve Israel, a New York Democrat, but neither proposal has gained traction.

One of the owners of Defense Distributed, a group that aims to “democratize firearms manufacturing,” responded to Rep. Israel’s proposed legislation earlier this year, wishing the representative “good f*cking luck” in getting it passed.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/15/attorney-general-worried-about-proliferation-of-3-d-printed-weaponry-if-undectable-firearms-act-allowed-to-expire/

The bitter irony is a GOP/TPer pretending yesterday "... wasn’t a day to be passing any legislation", allegedly out of respect for the anniversary of JFK's assassination ~ ~ Sooz

Congress eyes bills on ‘undetectable guns’
11/22/13 01:00 PM
By Steve Benen

It hasn’t gotten much attention yet, but a federal ban on undetectable guns will expire in just a couple of weeks. Some Democratic lawmakers are pushing for congressional action ahead of the Dec. 9 deadline.


“I hope as soon as we come back, we might get this body to pass it, and maybe get the House to pass it,” Schumer said. “We are in a dangerous world. To allow terrorists, criminals, those who are mentally infirm, to walk through metal detectors with guns that are made of plastic and then use them at airports, sporting events, and schools is a very bad thing.”

It’s hardly a secret that congressional Republicans oppose any new gun measures, no matter how popular or sensible they may be, but at issue here is whether an existing law can remain in place.

Under the status quo, federal law prohibits the “manufacture, sale, import or possession of guns that are undetectable by metal detectors and X-ray machines.” The Undetectable Firearms Act was first signed into law by President Reagan in 1988, and it’s been renewed with relative ease twice since then, but with the radicalization of Republican politics, and limited time remaining, the law’s future is very much in doubt.

The irony is, the law is arguably more necessary now than ever. Quite recently, 3-D printing has become more common and readily available to consumers, making it that much easier to produce deadly weapons, quickly and cheaply, that include no metal parts.

Senate Dems are pushing to leave the existing law in place, as are several House Dems. Congress doesn’t have many work days left this year, and the current ban expires in 17 days.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/congress-eyes-bills-undetectable-guns

Posted without further comment until my blood pressure returns to normal ~ ~ Sooz

House quietly bans plastic guns
12/03/13 03:09 PM—Updated 12/03/13 03:09 PM
By Steve Benen

Under current federal law, there is a ban on the “manufacture, sale, import or possession of guns that are undetectable by metal detectors and X-ray machines.” President Reagan signed the Undetectable Firearms Act into a law 25 years ago, and it’s been renewed with bipartisan support ever since.

But as we discussed two weeks ago, measures that used to pass Congress easily are now close calls in light of the radicalization of Republican politics. Indeed, in the case of undetectable guns, current law will expire on Monday.

To that end, the House “quickly” approved an extension of the status quo today, though the way in which the bill was passed was interesting.


So, House GOP leaders recognized the importance of keeping existing law in place, but didn’t want to deal with the political hassle of having an untold number of House Republicans take a bold stand in support of undetectable firearms in the hands of consumers. Instead of the usual roll call, then, we saw a voice-vote on the floor in a largely empty chamber.

As best as I can tell, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kan.) was the only member to object to the measure – a detail about which he was eager to boast (thanks to Joe Sonka for the tip).

Looking ahead, does today’s vote make an extension a safe bet? Not so fast. Many Democratic lawmakers in both chambers believe the House bill is far too narrow and fails to take technological breakthroughs into account, most notably weapons parts created by 3D printers.

To that end, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) will reportedly push legislation when the Senate returns on Monday – the day the current law expires – that would require that every essential part of a gun include at least some detectable metal component. “The House bill is better than nothing, but it’s not good enough,” he said yesterday. “We absolutely must close the loophole that allows anyone to legally make a gun that could be rendered invisible by the easy removal of its metal part.”

If Schumer’s bill passes – we do not yet know how much resistance it would face from GOP senators – the House would have to act quickly to keep the status quo intact.

For what it’s worth, the NRA has not yet lobbied on this issue, though the even-more-conservative Gun Owners of America wants current law to expire altogether.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/house-quietly-bans-plastic-guns

they should do more voice votes! ;]