WAHINGTON, DC – In an effort to ensure public safety and continue commonsense laws already on the books, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Undetectable Firearms Act Reauthorization bill (S.3677).

This bipartisan legislation would permanently authorize the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988, which makes it illegal to manufacture, own, or sell a firearm that isn't detectable by a walk-through metal-detection machine and a scanning device.  The original law was signed by then-President Ronald Reagan and has been subsequently renewed on a long-term basis three times over the ensuing decades.

If Congress fails to act, guns that cannot be detected by X-ray machines will no longer be banned when the law sunsets on March 8.

Calls to renew the law have been endorsed by top security officials from the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA, NASCAR, and Major League Soccer.  These sports leagues recognize the importance and effectiveness of the law and that it contributes to fan safety at major stadium events.

In a letter to congressional leaders, the major sports league officials noted: “Our organizations work in close coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement and rely on advanced security procedures, including metal detector screening, to ensure the safety of our events. Allowing the UFA to sunset would hinder our ability to prevent firearms from entering stadiums and arenas and reduce the fan safety measures in place at our events.”

“Letting this bill lapse could allow plastic firearms to slip through metal detectors and other security devices, putting the public and law enforcement at risk.  Nobody wants to be in a crowded stadium, a packed courtroom, or on an aircraft with an armed and dangerous gunman.  Congress must do the right thing and pass our bipartisan, commonsense bill to keep these undetectable firearms illegal and keep the public safe,” said Senator Reed.

“Since 1988, the Undetectable Firearms Act has kept Americans safe by ensuring plastic guns can’t be snuck through security. It’s an important and commonsense measure that goes a long way to protecting our airports, government buildings and other public spaces. Allowing it to lapse now would be a mistake,” said Senator Grassley.

In July, under the leadership of Senator Reed, the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the U.S. Senate voted 86-11 to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included a provision permanently reauthorizing the Undetectable Firearms Act.  However, the House-passed version of the NDAA did not include this same reauthorization language.  Ultimately, the Undetectable Firearms Act reauthorization provision was not part of the final NDAA.

The Undetectable Firearms Act Reauthorization bill (S.3677)

The Reed-Grassley legislation would permanently authorize the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988.  The Undetectable Firearms Act prohibits the manufacture, import, transfer, or possession of any firearm that (i) does not contain enough metal to set off a metal detector or (ii) is made from material that does not accurately depict its shape when put through an x-ray machine.  In effect, this legislation would retain the current prohibition on nonmetal firearms that are made exclusively from plastics.

  • President Reagan signed the bipartisan Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 to curtail the threat to public safety posed by firearms that evade detection at security checkpoints in airports, government buildings, prisons, courthouses, military bases, and elsewhere.
  • Congress has extended the Undetectable Firearms Act on a long-term basis three times, in all cases either unanimously or with overwhelming bipartisan majorities.
  • The Senate passed a permanent authorization in 2023 as part of the NDAA, but it was dropped during the conference process. To avoid a lapse, the past two Continuing Resolutions have contained short-term extensions.  The new expiration date is March 8, 2024.
  • If Congress does not permanently fix this issue, then the 35-year restrictions on undetectable firearms will lapse. 
  • A lapse creates substantial risks to public safety and threatens our national security.  Undetectable firearms make it difficult for law enforcement to combat crime, provide a tool for terrorists to carry out attacks, and enable violence against troops, elected officials and other public servants.
  • The bill would provide a clean extension of measures that have been on the books for decades and are strongly supported by law enforcement.