Over 140 House Democrats are urging for the reinstatement of the provision in the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that allows for the restriction of veterans from purchasing or owning firearms under specific circumstances.
For many years, the VA has been reporting veterans with mental health concerns to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). These concerns encompass situations where veterans utilize a fiduciary to handle their VA benefits. However, this year, the Senate, through an amendment proposed by Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), repealed the gun ban in the Clinton-area.
Kennedy said, “Unelected bureaucrats shouldn’t be able to strip veterans of their Second Amendment rights unilaterally. The Senate did the right thing for veterans and all freedom-loving Americans by passing my amendment today.”
The House Democrats are expressing their discontent and urging for the reinstatement of the gun ban in the appropriations bill.
🚨BREAKING🚨
140+ House Democrats demand @DeptVetAffairs begin using state gun confiscation laws to disarm veterans in response to the law ending the Clinton-era Veteran Gun Ban that GOA forced Biden to sign last weekend.
See the full letter here.⤵️https://t.co/yLEY85LFjJ pic.twitter.com/WEv1wYSfE4
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) March 15, 2024
The letter says:
“The Kennedy Amendment rolls back 30 years of common-sense precedent and practice which ensures that veterans who are deemed to be “mentally incompetent” are added to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The current process used by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make a competency determination as required by law, includes an opportunity for appeals, helps ensure that veterans who are a danger to themselves or others are flagged in the background check system if they try to purchase a firearm.”