President Obama on Monday signed a bill that extends the ban on plastic firearms for another 10 years.

The president signed the Undetectable Firearms Act extension last night, just hours before it was set to expire. According to Huffington Post reporter Jennifer Bendery, the president - who was in South Africa for Nelson Mandela's memorial service - signed the bill using an "autopen," which allows for remote approval of legislation.

The bill outlaws the manufacture, import, selling, shipment, delivery, possession, transfer, or reception of any firearm that is not detectable by walk-through metal detectors, or has major components that do not generate an accurate image by airport X-ray machines.

The issue made headlines in the last year or two amidst the rise of 3D printers, which some enthusiasts have used to print plastic guns.

Leading the charge was non-profit group Defense Distributed, which launched Defcad, known as the Pirate Bay of 3D printing. Cody Wilson, University of Texas student and Defense Distributed founder, raised $20,000 in a grassroots online campaign to lease a Stratasys uPrint SE, but when word of his plans to print guns got out, the company showed up at his house to pick it up. Later, the State Department forced Defcad to remove its 3D-printable gun files because they violated International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

Since then, city, state, and federal lawmakers have taken aim at 3D-printed guns.

Earlier this week, Rep. Steve Israel, a New York Democrat, introduced the Undetectable Firearms Modernization Act, which would require that certain major components of plastic firearms are made of non-removable detectable metal or steel.

This would be in addition to the re-authorization signed by President Obama because "I don't believe a straight reauthorization of the current law goes far enough," Israel said in a statement. The congressman's bill "would close a dangerous loophole that exists in the current law by requiring plastic guns to be made with certain non-removable metal parts so they can be detected by metal detectors."

Specifically, the slide/cylinder and the receiver on a handgun and the slide, receiver, and barrel on a long gun (rifle or a shotgun) would have to be made of detectable and non-removable metal.

Israel said his bill closes a loophole in the re-authorization bill that "does not specify whether the metal has to be permanently part of the plastic firearm or can be removable."

Sen. Charles Schumer, also a New York Democrat, issued his support for that approach. "Undetectable plastic guns aren't #scifi, but frighteningly real; proud to extend ban. Now must close dangerous loophole that still exists," he tweeted.

For more, check out PCMag's Q&A with Defense Distributed's Wilson.

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