USPS unveils Barbie stamps celebrating iconic career
USPS has partnered with Mattel to launch Barbie Forever stamps that celebrate 10 iconic careers and decades of Barbie history.
The U.S. Postal Service could soon allow handguns to be mailed for the first time in nearly a century if rules proposed under the Trump administration are approved, which opponents of the bill call a potential “gun-trafficking pipeline.”
Since 1927, Congress has prohibited the USPS from mailing concealable firearms unless they come from a licensed dealer. But the Justice Department reviewed the law in a January memo, arguing that it is unconstitutional and violates the Second Amendment.
“Thus, to the extent that Congress chooses to operate a package service, the Second Amendment precludes a person, even a non-licensed manufacturer or dealer, from refusing to ship constitutionally protected firearms to or from law-abiding citizens,” the Justice Department memo states.
In response to the memo, the USPS proposed new rules in April that would allow firearms such as pistols and revolvers to be mailed. According to the USPS rulebook, currently long-barreled rifles and shotguns can only be mailed if they are unloaded and securely packaged.
Similar protections would be introduced for handguns under the proposed rule changes. In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, USPS said it was reviewing comments received during the public comment period that ended May 4.
The proposed rules would allow guns to be sold and transported within state lines. Under the proposed rule, a person would be able to mail a gun across state lines as long as they leave it with someone else, mail it to themselves, and open the mailed gun themselves, according to the Federal Register.
John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY that the proposed rule changes would turn the USPS into a “gun trafficking pipeline” for illegal weapons.
“By turning the U.S. Postal Service into a gun-trafficking pipeline, the Trump administration is providing felons, abusers, and straw buyers a direct route to illegal firearms, while stripping law enforcement of the tools they need to prevent and investigate gun crimes,” he said.
Supporters of the rule change praised the move, calling it a victory for gun owners. NRA-ILA Executive Director John Comerford said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY that he hopes the rule will be finalized soon.
“The Trump administration is delivering another important victory for law-abiding American gun owners,” he said. “For nearly a century, the U.S. Postal Service has arbitrarily blocked handguns from being mailed.”
What rules do other shipping carriers have?
UPS and FedEx, two private companies, restrict gun shipments to people with federal firearms licenses, including importers, manufacturers, distributors and collectors. Additionally, UPS does not ship “automatic weapons, including machine guns, for transportation” or allow customers to ship firearms internationally.
FedEx regulations require those with a federal firearms license to work with an account executive for approval before being allowed to ship firearms.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
