McClellan: Decision in bump stock case does not help resolve gun violence epidemic

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 last week in Garland v. Cargill that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives exceeded authority when classifying bump stocks as machine guns.

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who represents Virginia’s Fourth District in the U.S. House, expressed disappointed in the court’s decision.

“The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a federal ban on bump stocks threatens the safety and well-being of Americans nationwide. Bump stocks enable semi-automatic rifles to fire rounds more quickly and can result in mass casualty events like the deadly shooting at a Las Vegas music festival in 2017,” McClellan said.

The Supreme Court’s decision “hampers the federal government’s ability to keep deadly weapons of war out of the hands of those who have no business owning them. As a mother to two young children, I am furious that extreme conservative politicians and judges continue to undermine common sense policy solutions designed to keep our children, communities, and country safe.”

McClellan said that gun violence is an epidemic and is uniquely an American problem.

“We must continue fighting to keep weapons of war off of our streets and address the root causes of gun violence. American lives depend on it.”