Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) alongside U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) to introduce the Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act, legislation to support responsible gun ownership and protect communities from gun violence. The senators’ bill would regulate firearms based on the lethality of their internal mechanisms, as opposed to focusing on cosmetic features that manufacturers can easily modify.
“For more than two decades, Colorado has had to grieve over one incident of senseless gun violence after another. Gun violence has become normal in this country, and it has shaped the ways our kids are growing up,” said Bennet. “The GOSAFE Act is common sense gun safety legislation to keep weapons of war out of the hands of the wrong people, while respecting responsible gun owners. With this bill, we are taking an important step to combat gun violence in our communities and demonstrate to our children that we will not fail them.”
“Our country is reeling from a gun violence crisis that has taken far too many lives in New Mexico and across this country. The American people deserve meaningful action from Congress. That’s why I’m introducing the GOSAFE Act,” said Heinrich. “Like many New Mexicans, I am a gun owner. I firmly believe we must uphold the laws that protect safe and responsible gun ownership. This bill achieves that, while taking steps to get those firearms that are inherently dangerous and unusually lethal, designed for maximum harm, out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others. By giving law enforcement the tools and time needed to keep our communities safe, this pragmatic legislation will save lives.”
“For years, I have said that rather than using the appearance of these guns to restrict them, we should instead focus on how these weapons actually work and the features that make them especially dangerous,” said King. “The Gas-Operated Semiautomatic Firearm Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act addresses the lethal capacity weapons like the one used in Lewiston and most of the deadliest mass shootings across the country. Nothing can bring back the lives of our family and friends, but responsible actions moving forward can reduce the likelihood of such a nightmare happening again in Maine or anywhere else.”
“As a gun owner, a combat veteran, and the husband of a survivor of gun violence, I know firsthand the damage a firearm can do on the battlefield or at a neighborhood grocery store,” said Kelly. “And as our country and communities have experienced mass shooting after mass shooting, it’s past time we look at fresh approaches to protect Arizona kids and families from the most dangerous weapons. The GOSAFE Act is a targeted bill that protects the rights of responsible gun owners while regulating the most dangerous semi-automatic rifles, detachable high-capacity magazines, and accessories that have increasingly concerned law enforcement and been used over and over again in mass shootings.”
The GOSAFE Act supports responsible gun ownership based on a firearm’s established use for self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes, and includes exemptions based on maximum ammunition capacity according to the type of firearm. This capacity must be “permanently fixed,” meaning the firearm cannot accept a detachable, high-capacity magazine that would increase the number of rounds that can be fired before reloading and make reloading easier.
The bill also limits a firearm’s ability to inflict maximum harm in a short amount of time by directly regulating large capacity ammunition feeding devices and limits the number of rounds they are permitted to carry to 10 rounds of ammunition or fewer. Additionally, the GOSAFE Act makes conversion devices, including bump stocks and Glock switches, unlawful.
The bill protects the value of firearms already owned before enactment and prevents stockpiling of these lethal firearms and large capacity magazines by establishing a voluntary buy-back program. It would allow firearm owners to voluntarily turn over and receive compensation for non-transferrable firearms and magazines as defined by this legislation.
The bill would regulate the sale, transfer, and manufacture of gas-operated semi-automatic weapons by:
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Establishing a list of prohibited firearms;
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Preventing unlawful modifications of permissible firearms;
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Mandating that future gas-operated designs are approved before manufacture; and
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Preventing unlawful firearm self-assembly and manufacturing.
Exemptions include:
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.22 caliber rimfire or less firearms
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Bolt action rifles
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Semi-automatic shotguns
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Recoil-operated handguns
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Any rifle with a permanently fixed magazine of 10 rounds or less
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Any shotgun with a permanently fixed magazine of 10 rounds or less
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Any handgun with a permanently fixed magazine of 15 rounds or less
“The recent horrifying shootings in Lewiston, ME are a grim reminder of the ever-growing list of places in America bound together by a terrible common thread — communities devastated by individuals armed with high-powered semi-automatic firearms coupled with large capacity magazines,” said Kris Brown, President, Brady – United Against Gun Violence. “The GOSAFE Act will take significant steps to end the proliferation of weapons that are designed for the battlefield and mitigate targeted mass violence. Brady thanks Senators Heinrich, King, Kelly, and Bennet for introducing this legislation to help free America from the epidemic of mass shootings.”
This legislation is supported by: Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, Brady: United Against Gun Violence, March Fourth, and March for Our Lives.
The text of the bill is available HERE. A summary of the bill is available HERE.