Supreme Court Overturns Federal Bump Stock Ban

LOADING ERROR LOADING The Supreme Court Friday overturned a federal agency’s rule banning bump stocks, the devices used in some of America’s deadliest mass killings carried out by lone shooters. A bump-stock-equipped semiautomatic rifle is a machinegun because with a single pull of the trigger, a shooter can fire continuous shots without any human input beyond maintaining forward pressure.” The ruling in Garland v. Cargill deals a heavy blow to gun reformers, who viewed a ban on bump stocks as a commonsense response to the deadliness such devices can wield in mass shootings. “Congress must act to undo the damage and make clear that bump stocks, and all automatic conversion devices, are illegal under federal law.” But Friday’s ruling also highlighted the fragility of an agency-enacted ban that reformers had in many cases feared would not withstand judicial scrutiny. “I call on Congress to ban bump stocks, pass an assault weapon ban, and take additional action to save lives — send me a bill and I will sign it immediately.” But it remains to be seen whether such a measure can overcome the GOP’s historic opposition to gun reform in Congress, especially now that the sense of urgency following the Las Vegas shooting has dissipated.