July 26, 2022

Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Combat Increased Use of Dangerous Gun Conversion Devices

Legislation would help address gun violence epidemic by tackling proliferation of automatic gun conversion devices and seizing profits from illegal trafficking

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Senate colleagues introduced legislation this week to combat the increased use and proliferation of dangerous gun conversion devices.

“The ease with which a semi-automatic weapon can become a fully-automatic weapon of mass murder is sickening. Period. Full stop,” said Wyden. “Congress must urgently tackle the proliferation of illegal gun conversion devices head on to keep our communities safe and put an end to America’s gun violence epidemic. The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act will save lives and I’m proud to support it.”

The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act would help tackle the ongoing gun violence epidemic by requiring federal law enforcement to coordinate efforts to prevent the importation and trafficking of ‘auto-sears’ - and other illegal gun modification devices that can convert semi-automatic weapons into fully-automatic weapons - and seize all profits that come from the illegal trafficking of these devices. 

The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act of 2022 would: 

  • Direct the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of the Treasury to develop a coordinated national strategy to prevent or intercept the importation and trafficking of automatic gun conversion devices;
  • Ensure that proceeds from the illegal trafficking of automatic gun devices are subject to forfeiture; and 
  • Require that the Attorney General include data and information about illegal gun modification devices in the Justice Department’s annual firearms trafficking report.

The legislation is led by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Gary Peters, D-Mich. Alongside Wyden, the bill was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Jack Reed, D-R.I.,, Ed Markey, D-Mass., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Tina Smith, D-Minn.

The legislation is endorsed by Giffords and Everytown for Gun Safety.