NFL, MLB, NCAA join alliance of sports leagues asking Congress to re-enact gun control measures

Nearly every major sports league in the United States signed a letter addressed to Senate and House leaders, requesting the reauthorization of specific gun control measures.

The January 2024 letter was revealed by the Gun Owners of America organization through an op-ed in ZeroHedge, which presented the letter signed by executives from the NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA, NBA, NASCAR, and Major League Soccer.

The only notably large sports organization missing from the list appeared to be the UFC, which typically does not take political stances.

The letter was addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).

In it, the sports executives asked for the Undetectable Firearms Act to be reauthorized. The law, first enacted in 1988, makes it illegal for an unlicensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer to possess a firearm that is undetectable by a metal detector or "x-ray machines commonly used at airports."

Furthermore, a person cannot possess a firearm that "does not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component."

"We write to express our strong support for reauthorization of the Undetectable Firearms Act (UFA), which is set to expire on February 2, 2024," the sports leaders wrote. "The UFA has helped keep Americans safe in public spaces that utilize metal detection to prevent the admittance of firearms, including at the thousands of events that our organizations host each year," the letter continued.

"The safety of the millions of fans, participants, and other personnel who attend our events is our top priority. Our organizations work in close coordination with federal, state, and local law enforcement and rely on advanced security procedures, including metal detector screening, to ensure the safety of our events," it went on.

"Allowing the UFA to sunset would hinder our ability to prevent firearms from entering stadiums and arenas and reduce the fan safety measures in place at our events," the letter added.

The sports leaders also noted that the law has been reauthorized three times since it was enacted.

Weeks after the letter was dated, 74 members of the House of Representatives sent Republican Speaker Johnson their own letter asking him to reject permanent reauthorization of the law.

"As we head into the 2024 election year, the Republican conference will have numerous opportunities to prove to the American people why our party should be entrusted with continued control of the House of Representatives," the Republicans said, according to Breitbart.

"One of our first opportunities to demonstrate a Republican Commitment to America will be to emphatically reject any permanent reauthorization or expansion of the Undetectable Firearms Act," they added.

Republicans also noted that any reauthorization would open to door for additional firearm restrictions based on gun components and parts.

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