Rep. Tokuda Demands USPS Withdraw Proposed Rule Allowing Direct Mail Delivery of Handguns

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02) sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner opposing a proposed U.S. Postal Service (USPS) rule that would allow handguns to be mailed directly to individuals.

Rep. Tokuda, alongside Rep. Haley Stevens (MI-11) and 74 other Member of Congress is urging the Postal Service to withdraw the "Revised Mailing Standards for Firearms" rule published on April 2, 2026, that eliminates the required licensed intermediary for handgun transfers and allows direct-to-consumer delivery of concealable weapons.

Last month, Reps. Tokuda and Stevens joined Rep. Mike Thompson, Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force (CA-04) in introducing the Keep Illegal Handguns Out of the Mail Act to block implementation of the rule, warning it creates a dangerous loophole that bypasses state gun safety laws and federal background check requirements.

"The USPS was created to deliver mail, not handguns. Allowing handguns to be shipped through the mail is an insult to the integrity of the Postal Service and a betrayal of its public mission," said Rep. Tokuda. "This proposal weakens proven protections against illegal gun trafficking, makes crime guns harder to trace, and increases the likelihood that dangerous weapons end up in the wrong hands."

"Michigan families are tired of watching Washington move in the wrong direction on gun safety," said Rep. Stevens. "The last thing we should be doing is making it easier for handguns to move through the mail. We're drawing a clear line: no backdoor expansion of handgun access through USPS. From Oakland County to communities across my state, Michiganders want common-sense safeguards that protect public safety. Allowing anyone to ship handguns by mail creates unnecessary risks for postal workers, law enforcement, and families."

Leading national gun violence prevention organizations, including Brady, Everytown for Gun Safety, GIFFORDS, and March For Our Lives, strongly endorsed the push, warning that the policy provides an unchecked mechanism for illegal firearm trafficking.

"If the Trump administration follows through with implementing this new USPS policy, they will effectively be handing gun traffickers across the country a new deadly tool to flood our communities with illegal firearms," said Kris Brown, President of Brady. "It is categorically unfair and outright dangerous to expect postal workers to navigate complex federal, state, and local firearm laws, and under this new system, we will undoubtedly see an increase in firearm trafficking and theft - putting all of us at risk. We are so thankful to have champions in the House of Representatives like Rep. Tokuda and her colleagues who are making clear that allowing handguns to be mailed does not expand rights, but rather expands life-threatening danger."

"Sending handguns through the mail is not freedom. It's a gift to gun traffickers. At a time when gun violence remains the leading cause of death for America's children, we should be closing dangerous loopholes, not creating new ones," said Jackie Corin, Executive Director of March For Our Lives. "We're grateful to Representative Tokuda for pushing back against this reckless proposal before more communities pay the price."

"By rolling back a safeguard that has been in place for nearly a century, the Trump administration is prioritizing the interests of the gun industry over the safety of our communities," said Vanessa Gonzalez, Vice President of Government and Political Affairs of GIFFORDS. "Allowing private individuals to send firearms through the mail would create new opportunities for firearms to move with less oversight while making it more difficult for law enforcement to track weapons connected to criminal activity. We are grateful to Representative Tokuda for leading the effort to oppose this proposal and encourage other members of Congress to stand with her in protecting public safety."

According to the FBI and data collected by Everytown Research & Policy, firearms are currently the leading cause of death among children, and handguns represent the main weapon used in assaults against law enforcement officers.

A copy of the letter can be found here.

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