>> live on tuesday, the british secretary of state for defense talks about the nato alliance at 10:30 a.m. eastern, and then we hear from reporters who worked on the harvey weinstein sexual misconduct story. on c-span2, state farm and -- department officials marked the 20th anniversary of the bombings of the u.s. embassies in kenya and tanzania at 8:00 a.m. eastern. after that, a look at health care benefits and coverage strategies for 2019. later, the american enterprise institute hosts a discussion on u.s. policy in southeast asia. that is live at 12:30 p.m. eastern. >> with 3-d printed guns making headlines we will spend time delving into their history and future. how long have you been writing about the firearms issue? making headlines last week, we will delve into the history and future. we have a staff writer -- staff writer with the washington free how long?

guest: it or nine years. host: explain what a 3-d printer gun is. guest: essentially just a mostly fromfactured 3-d printer material. the first one that made a lot of headlines, by cody wilson, his company distributed it in 2013. host: what do you need to make a 3-d printed gun? guest: it depends on what you're trying to do. there are different parts you can manufacture with it. you can make a lot of things with a 3-d printer but to make something that can withstand a cartridge going off, you really fairly expensive equipment.

several thousand dollars worth of equipment, high-end 3-d printers. not the kind of thing you can buy for $150 online. you really need something substantial. host: how far along as the technology? guest: really, the gun he created, the liberator in 2013, it is a proof of concept, single shot firearm and it does not last long. you can only shoot a few shots through that. i'm not aware of any gun that has come along at that level of three printed material in it. it still has metal but most newer designs include a lot more but it ishe barrels always developing, certainly people around the world and the country are making their own designs as well.

it is something that is continuing. host: when you are printing something, what are you printing? how much is printed from the practice -- plastics from the computer? it depends on the design of the gun and what you're trying to achieve. the liberator is mostly 3-d printed parts. is a metal firing pin that actually sets off the primary and the cartridge from that is not 3-d printed. it also includes a metal plate .nd original prototype and other designs, you're simply printing one part of dozens. on the ar 15, it is a popular thing to do. part, right?ulated there is really only one part in

the united states that tends to be regulated where if you were to buy one, you have to get a background check to do it on air so people would print it part -- print that part. are we from 3-d printed guns being just as reliable and accurate, just as powerful, as traditional firearms? guest: it sort of depends on how much of the gun you want printed. there is not a design that exists yet for that, but certainly, there are obvious limitations with 3-d printed material because it is plastic. by their nature need to withstand a lot of force and heat, and- and

plastics tend not to withstand that force and heat at least over a long time. so they tend to be very crude designs that are meant to be a proof of concept more than anything else. if you have questions about three printed guns, now would be a good time to call. with us until about 9:00 this morning, if you support 3-d guns in the current debate -- if you oppose them -- we split up our lines. questions onour either line. i want to show viewers some criticism of 3-d guns from the floor senate. last week, richard blumenthal of connecticut talking about his concerns about technology. >> we are doing this together to prevent a new wave of lethal gun violence in the community

resulting from these plastic, undetectable and untraceable weapons. assault rifles, pistols, shotguns, all of them are homemade. they are ghost guns. they are the new frontier and the new face of gun violence in the country. >> take on a few of the concerns , specifically undetectable and untraceable ghost guns. guest: there is a lot to unpack obviously. first off, undetectable is thrown around a lot in coverage of 3-d guns. really refers to a gun that could pass through a metal detector without setting it off.

people arepeople are concerned n make guns and plastic completely, that would be something that we could keep from getting onto an airplane or something of that nature, and as i would do to earlier, at this point, there is no design that exists that includes metal parts. presumably, a metal detector would be able to find a gun like presumably, a metal detector would be able to find a gun like this, even if the liberator from cody wilson is likely not undetectable we have a law that currents this. not allowed to make or possess a gun in the united states that is not detectable. of undetectable firearms act 1988. nra: that is the point the cited last week when the congress he bubbled up. guest: that is what they said. so, even if you were able to make a completely plastic gun with no metal parts that could pass through a metal detector, it would be illegal under

federal law. then you get into the idea of another common term we hear a about about and what it referso is firearms that are homemade or manufactured at home, not required to have serial numbers. someone in the united states to manufacture their own firearms for their own personal use, you cannot sell them or give them boy without obtaining a license first, manufacturers license. but you can make your own firearms. that has been illegal since the founding of the country. it is something that there has long been different technologies for doing this. 3-d printing is a new way of accomplishing that. host: if you calls from viewers. in alabama on the line for those who support 3-d printed guns, go ahead. i am so glad that c-span

has someone on this morning that knows what they're talking about about plastic guns. this is about the most ridiculous. aat someone wants to hand me plastic gun made 3-d printed, i would not fire it, unless you could figure out a way to put a tempered steel in it. that would make more sense. gun, there a plastic ain't no way. will happen is someone will make one of those guns and it will blow up on them. it will be more harm on the prisoner makes the gun. this is ridiculous. guest: i think that is a fair assessment, that these guns can explode. for a make a chamber

when youut of plastic, go to fire a live round, it could explode. they have to test whose designs. if you don't to the printer properly, which takes a lot of skill and when you go to fire a live round, it could explode. knowledge, it could absolutely explode. host: far rockaway, new york. opposed. caller: thanks for taking my call. is almostl like, this making a commercial for people that have a problem wasting money, endangering themselves. horrificun idea is so with all the guns out there with people being enticed and pushed people.ng harm to other that is all i got to say. host: anything you want to cap

on that? certainly, like any other form of technology, it can be abused by bad actors. at that aware of a kc has involved a 3-d printed gun, any sort of crime, it is not something i have seen happen yet. host: rockville, maryland, opposed. go ahead. caller: i oppose a 3-d gun because we have to many guns now on the street. that we can't get check through the black market and things of that nature. i agree with a couple of colors before that most times these things kind of exploding your have a conceptou a safetying a gun, issue with the firearm itself, i think it is ridiculous to have something like that even for the public.

if it were very cheap, a lot of folks out would be making the guns. guest: it is certainly not something for everyone. i would say. 3-d printing even beyond guns is really something for enthusiasts. it is not necessarily for everyone. it is another reason why i doubt you'll see these very soon in the hands of criminals. but i understand the concern. host: if you support 3-d guns -- if you oppose them -- your comments, your questions. the time to ask if you do have questions about the technology, stephen gutowski, who is cody wilson? a gun rights activists, essentially. based out of austin, texas. the pioneer of 3-d printed guns.

he developed the liberator, the made's first sort of gun mostly from 3-d printed parts. it as a political act, trying to show the intersection of new technology and gun rights is very that he thinks meaningful and probably a little provocative as well. yesterday,x news talking about defense distributed and 3-d gun technology, here is what he had to say. >> i think you are protecting, hey i'm just making information available and i am not responsible for what people do once they get the information but the fact is, cody, there are real world consequences here. what if somebody takes your information, makes a gun, and then goes out and kills someone, potentially, got for bid, kills

a member of your family? do you bear any responsibility? would you feel any remorse? >> i credit your question as good faith, but i believe in the second amendment to the point of, that it should be expected that there will be social costs protecting like this protectin.

why is that right on the bill of rights? why is it protected? we know there are downsides and consequences to protecting like. why is that right on the bill of rights? why is it protected? we know there are downsides and consequences to allowing free people to own a means of self-defense. of course we should expect and have a mature out protecting li. why is that right on the bill of rights? why is it protected? we know there are downsides and consequences to allowing free people to own a means of self-defense. of course we should expect and have a mature out it -- attitude that things can happen. >> the government has made decisions for the best a society that certain people should be >> the government has made decisions for the best a society that certain people should be prevented from having guns and it should be easier to trace and easier to detect. you are going around all of that, cody.

>> i respectfully disagree. the government has regulated commercial manufacture arms and transfer interstate commerce, but the government has never regulated the protection of firearms you are allowed to own. americans can to this day right now make a gun and there is no requirement to meet -- put a serial number on it. i am sorry a bunch of politicians woke up to the reality of it last week but this is the way it has always been. host: you have met cody wilson and interviewed him, stephen gutowski. what is his and goal here. is he making money off of the 3-d gun blueprints that became the center of the controversy? >> i respectfully disagree. the government has regulated commercial manufacture arms and transfer interstate commerce, but the government has never regulated the protection of next.ms you pennsylvania on the opposed line. i am against three printed i am against three printed guns, but i do not think they could do much about it. they will be printed anyway to matter what it -- no matter what. our society is so violent, violence is ingrained in our take all of you

take all of that, all the violence, you have watched television, and it encourages violence and encourages, we are encouraged more or less to take quick action and not to think about anything and not think about consequences. about how things will get resolved, how the country will get back on track, people are so frustratedencourages, we are end more or less to take quick action and not to think about anything and not think about consequences. about how things will get resolved, how the country will get back on track, people are so frustrated, it drives people into stupidity. it drives them into stupidity. there are mass murders. no wonder, driven to stupidity. here: i think the point the fact that people will

continue to print guns regardless, it is relevant to what is going on especially considering that at the core end the fact that people will continue to print guns case, with wilson, what he was actually, what actually happened in the case, it had nothing to do with whether or not you could print your own guns or manufacture your own firearms or whether it was legal for americans to have the blueprints. it was more about whether or not it was legal to publish them on the internet. was was what hee

did wrong was published designs on the internet. more of >> why in the world would you assert first amendment rights to publish instructions to do a plastic in that someone could take through a metal detector into a crowded theater and start shooting? and that theater instead of shouting fire, which is clearly an understood imitation upon our first amendment rights of speech. host: your thoughts on that argument.

guest: the idea that this is a new thing is fairly ridiculous. also, i mean, the idea that you are going to take a liberator which is a single shot manually reloaded firearm that can only fire around her a couple of rounds before it is not good anymore and cause mass panic or terror with it is also a bit far-fetched as well. host: andrew is in port charlotte, california. caller: i support that they three be sold, i support pre-printing because it is progress and as long as the law noto early tailored we will

[indiscernible] a desire fore these guns in certain parts of our government or certain parts of the military? guest: i do not think so. the gun is, it is not a very useful firearm in terms of something you would arm yourself with. if you are a government official or if you wanted to use for military purposes or whatever. so as far as what -- whether or not someone, the government will want to buy 3-d printers and start making liberators, i do not think that will happen. certainly the idea that this is progression or developing new technologies, that is a fair point. one ofly something that the reasons we have the ability ,o manufacture our own firms is one of the reason that cody

wilson wants to post these designs online is to allow people to innovate off of them. that is at issue here. the line for those who oppose, go ahead. caller: i believe the plastic guns are being made to shoot on enforcement because they would people to stare down these guns if they were walking through a metal detector. i think those guns are mainly meant to hurt people who are the first responders and who are in law enforcement. not fund theid

steele dossier. to be clear on that. the second question about law enforcement concerns for 3-d printed guns, again, not aware of any instance where a 3-d printed firearm has been used in again, at this point and i would question how useful they would a even if criminals possessed the knowledge and equipment to make one. certainly it is not a common way for criminals to obtain guns, mostly they get them from stealing them or using straw purchases or buying them from other criminals. there have been a few homemade guns that have managed to make their way into criminal cases but even that is extremely rare. describe theld you free bacon? guest: it is a national newspaper with conservative editorial leanings obviously. we practice what we like to call

combat journalism. host: what does that mean? guest: we go and cover things that perhaps the rest of media does not. guns is a fantastic example. i cover exclusively firearms for the free bacon which is something that is quite rare in media despite the fact that --re is pulling that shows polls that show most firearms -- houses have a firearms. left withuple minutes the staff writer, harry is waiting in bethesda maryland. caller: i have three points to make them a on technology. technology has a funny way of advancing.

the designs will enable guns used,ill be efficiently -- used. laws also have a funny habit of eating broken. are outlawed,rs there are thousands of cases of murder. this will happen with the firearms act. picking up what someone else has said which is there is nothing we can do about it. another color said that she would be -- it would be great if this could be limited to law enforcement or the military. thes a way to further [indiscernible]

of the u.s. government. even if the u.s. were try -- were to try and put a control on these weapons, foreign nonstate actors are going to pick up on the technology which is developed and even if we passed all the laws in the world, we would not be able to keep out technology. the point about technology always advancing is fair. perhaps now there is not the ability to make a reliable firearm from 3-d printed parts. maybe that will change in the future. i do not know. certainly we have laws that govern these things, that laws do get broken. natureond changing human and affecting society, i am not really sure of a solution for that. like onhat we do not their face should we, the actual

acts of murder and criminals should be illegal, they are illegal. the technology does not change our current laws, criminals cannot make their own firearms even if the technology to do so becomes easier. host: what is the status of the case that cody wilson is involved in and several states attorneys general, what is the neck -- next step? thet: the claim against bushing of the designs, they tried to settle with him and give up that claim. on the advice of the department of justice. generalates attorneys including pcs attorney general state department and got a temporary restraining order against them to prevent them from enforcing that

settlement. stand, it isngs back to the [indiscernible] preventedlson being from publishing the designs. the next is a hearing on august 10 which will address whether or not the temporary restraining order is -- becomes permanent. host: we can assume you will be writing about it. guest: absolutely. host: thanks for your time. journal"'s "washington live every day with news and policy issues that impact you. coming up this morning, george mason university's richard [indiscernible] discusses phone or ability to america's electric grid. and talking about the group's paideport, all expenses which looks at loopholes federal lawmakers are using to pay for personal expenditures. s