The National Rifle Association’s CEO Wayne LaPierre and NRA Institute for Legislative Action Executive Director Chris Cox issued a joint statement Thursday responding to the mass shooting in Las Vegas that occurred Sunday night and joining the calls for regulation of bump stocks, devices used by the Vegas shooter which use recoil to increase the rate of fire for a semiautomatic weapon.
"In the aftermath of the evil and senseless attack in Las Vegas, the American people are looking for answers as to how future tragedies can be prevented,” they begin. “Unfortunately, the first response from some politicians has been to call for more gun control. Banning guns from law-abiding Americans based on the criminal act of a madman will do nothing to prevent future attacks. This is a fact that has been proven time and again in countries across the world.”
“In Las Vegas, reports indicate that certain devices were used to modify the firearms involved,” they write. “Despite the fact that the Obama administration approved the sale of bump fire stocks on at least two occasions, the National Rifle Association is calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) to immediately review whether these devices comply with federal law. The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations.”
They conclude with a push for Congress to pass National Right-to-Carry reciprocity.
“In an increasingly dangerous world, the NRA remains focused on our mission: strengthening Americans' Second Amendment freedom to defend themselves, their families and their communities,” they emphasize. “To that end, on behalf of our five million members across the country, we urge Congress to pass National Right-to-Carry reciprocity, which will allow law-abiding Americans to defend themselves and their families from acts of violence."
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, was asked about the potential regulation of the devices in the White House press briefing Thursday.
She replied that their focus “has been on healing and uniting the country. The investigation still continues to be in very early stages.”
“We know that members of both parties in multiple organizations are planning to take a look at bump stocks and related devices,” she continued. “We certainly welcome that, would like to be part of that conversation, and we would like to see a clear understanding of the facts. And we'd like to see input from the victims' families, from law enforcement, from policymakers. And we're expecting hearings and other important fact-finding efforts on that. And we want to be part of that discussion, and we're certainly open to that moving forward.”
As noted this afternoon, bump stocks were approved by the Obama administration in a 2010 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives opinion letter.