WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7-2 opinion upholding Biden-era federal regulations on “ghost guns,” mail-order kits that allow people to build untraceable weapons at home, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who supported the rule to crack down on the irresponsible proliferation of ghost gun kits, called the court’s decision a victory for public safety and commonsense that must be followed up with further action.

Senator Reed stated: “Ghost guns are custom made for criminals because they are untraceable.  The court’s ruling is a big win for public safety and commonsense.  These weapon kits must be regulated like other firearms.  That includes thorough background checks before being sold and accountability for the manufacturers. It’s past time to close federal loopholes and this 7-2 ruling provides bipartisan momentum to do just that.  We’ve seen too many innocent lives taken by ghost guns.  I will continue working to get ghost guns off the streets and to preserve these critical tools for law enforcement to keep officers and the public safe from crime.”

Traditional firearms sold by licensed dealers require serial numbers, and buyers must complete a background check before obtaining a gun.  But ghost gun kits and components, which are often sold online, lack serial numbers or an identifying mark to indicate its manufacturer, and are difficult for law enforcement to trace but easy for criminals to acquire without a background check.

Ghost guns can come in a variety of forms, from handguns to semi-automatic versions of assault rifles like AR-15s.  They are a growing street weapon of choice for those who would fail background checks, such as felons convicted of domestic violence or subject to court orders, violent extremists, and teenagers too young to legally own a gun.

Unregistered, untraceable guns were used in about 19,000 crimes in 2021, according to the federal government.