Congress Votes to Repeal Social Security Gun Ban
Kevin Felts 02.15.17
In a previous article we talked about how Congress is to review the Social Security gun ban. It is official, the ban has been reviewed and the repeal on its way to the desk of President Donald Trump to be signed.
Back story – On January 4th, 2016, the Obama administration posted a New Executive Actions to Reduce Gun Violence and Make Our Communities Safer. The order allowed the Social Security administration to decide who and who could not make a firearm purchase. The order only applied to people who were drawing Social Security.
Our right to due process is protected under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. The order bypassed due process, which allows someone to present their own evidence in a court of law.
What is bothersome, 43 senators voted against upholding our right to due process.
Fairfax, Va.— The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) today applauded the U.S. Senate’s passage of H.J. Res. 40, a joint resolution to revoke a final rule made by the Obama administration that would strip law-abiding Americans of their Second Amendment rights. The resolution passed by a bipartisan vote of 57-43.
“Today’s Senate vote was the next step in rolling back some of the egregious government overreach that characterized the Obama era,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director, NRA-ILA. “Congress is reversing a last-minute, back-door gun grab that stripped law-abiding Americans of their rights without due process.”
Late last year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) finalized a proposed rule to ban certain recipients who use a representative payee from owning firearms. This ill-conceived action stripped some of the most vulnerable Americans of their right to keep and bear arms without due process.
The NRA immediately opposed the Obama administration’s efforts when the proposal was first announced in summer of 2015. The NRA has fought every step of the way to ensure that social security recipients are not stripped of their rights without due process of law.
Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress is allowed to dispose of any actions an outgoing administration initiates in its final six months. This rule was implemented during that time frame. The bill received bipartisan support, passing the House last week House by a 235-180 vote. Today’s bipartisan Senate vote of 57-43 is the next step in reversing Obama’s unconstitutional gun grab. The bill now moves to President Donald Trump’s desk.
“We look forward to President Trump signing this important legislation into law,” concluded Cox.
The NRA thanks Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for their work on this important legislation.
