District 6 Representative Jason Crow (D-CO) is one of the leading House members trying to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a law from 2005 that prevents businesses from being sued over the third-party actions of criminals who use guns.
“I am home to some of the nation’s most horrific shootings, from Columbine to the Aurora theater shooting to STEM School and others,” Crow said. “When I talk to those families, when I talk to the victims and survivors, they have no recourse, they have no avenues to go to, these companies, these manufacturers these ammo dealers who are negligent.” At its best, Crow’s statement shows the dishonesty of his argument..
The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act doesn’t prevent lawsuits alleging negligence, such as selling a gun or ammunition when they have reason to believe it would be used in a crime. Lawsuits can also be filed over product defects, criminal conduct, or other activities for which they are directly responsible. What the PLCAA prevents are “junk lawsuits” used to bankrupt the firearms industry by holding companies responsible for third-party acts out of their control.
The Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act is Crow’s intended alternative.