The Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition and the Consumer Federation of America Foundation are working to educate consumers about the lack of safety regulation of firearms. Virtually all other consumer products, from toys to jumbo jets, are regulated by a federal agency for health and safety. By comparison, no federal agency has the power to ensure that guns manufactured and sold are safe.

Just imagine if car companies could introduce new cars with no built-in safety features, if drug companies could sell untested drugs at will, or if there were no requirements for the safety and inspection of meats. The history of consumer product regulation teaches that a significant number of deaths, injuries and illnesses can be prevented as a result of health and safety standards.

The Firearms Safety and Consumer Protection Act (S. 330 and H.R. 671) would subject guns to the same health and safety regulation as virtually all other products in America. The bill would give the Department of the Treasury consumer protection authority to regulate the design, manufacture, and distribution of firearms and ammunition.