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Floor Speech

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Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Stopping the Fraudulent Sale of Firearms Act, a vital piece of legislation designed to close dangerous loopholes in online firearm sales.

The Stopping the Fraudulent Sale of Firearms Act would make it a Federal crime to fraudulently advertise or sell firearms ammunition online, including by circumventing technology companies' terms of service.

Gun violence remains one of the most urgent crises facing our Nation, claiming more than 46,000 lives in 2023 alone, the third-highest number of gun-related deaths ever recorded. To reduce gun violence in our communities, it is critical that existing gun safety measures are fully enforced.

Background checks, red flag laws, and other safeguards are designed to keep firearms out of the wrong hands, but online marketplaces have created new avenues to bypass these protections.

Individuals who would fail a routine background check--such as those with felony convictions, domestic violence restraining orders, or a history of severe mental illness--can easily obtain firearms online, even in States with strong gun laws. This loophole undermines the very protections meant to keep our communities safe.

Technology companies have taken steps to curb illegal gun sales on their platforms, but sellers continue to exploit gaps in enforcement. Some platforms have banned firearm sales outright, yet sellers circumvent these restrictions by disguising listings.

On Facebook Marketplace, for example, guns are often advertised as ``stickers'' featuring firearm brand logos, while the actual weapons are sold off the record. These deceptive tactics allow firearms to be purchased without background checks, fueling illegal gun trafficking and putting lives at risk.

Fraudulent firearm listings undermine essential safeguards contribute to gun trafficking, and increase the risk of violent crime. Around 80 percent of firearms used in criminal activity are obtained from sellers who do not conduct background checks, including fraudulent online dealers. From 2017 to 2021, unlicensed sellers were responsible for more than half of all trafficked firearms, amounting to over 68,000 guns.

The Stopping the Fraudulent Sale of Firearms Act would directly address this growing threat. By prohibiting fraudulent transactions and holding deceptive sellers accountable, this bill would reinforce background check requirements and help prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.

Public safety is a shared responsibility, and this bill represents an important step forward in our collective efforts to reduce gun violence and protect our communities. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation and working to pass the Stopping the Fraudulent Sale of Firearms Act without delay.

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