On December 2, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) attempted and failed to pass H.R. 8, the dangerously flawed, so-called “universal” background check bill. As you may recall, Nancy Pelosi and her anti-gun allies in the U.S. House passed this misguided legislation earlier this year. H.R. 8 would do nothing to prevent crime, could not be enforced without a federal gun registry, and would turn otherwise law-abiding citizens into criminals for simply loaning a firearm to friends or family members.
Sen. Murphy tried to bypass regular order, normally consisting of a committee hearing and markup, and instead offered a “unanimous consent” request to pass H.R. 8. Under unanimous consent, the Senate can pass legislation without any debate or a recorded vote. Fortunately for law-abiding gun owners, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, objected to Sen. Murphy’s unanimous consent request–effectively blocking H.R. 8 from moving forward.
In response, Sen. Grassley offered an alternative unanimous consent request for S.1775, the Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2021–legislation that would actually reduce violent crime while bolstering protections for law-abiding gun owners.
S. 1775 would increase prosecutions and penalties for those that violate the myriad of gun laws already on the books –an approach NRA has supported for decades. Further, the bill would ensure that National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) contains appropriate records so the system is fast, accurate, and fair. Moreover, S. 1775 would prevent Americans from being unjustly stripped of their Second Amendment rights without due process, as well as strengthen protections for the interstate transportation of firearms and ammunition.
Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, Sen. Murphy objected to S. 1775’s consideration. This objection is merely more evidence that Sen. Murphy and his gun control allies in the U.S. Senate are not interested in prosecuting criminals or ensuring constitutional protections, but instead seek to limit the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.
Sen. Murphy’s failed attempt to ram H.R. 8 through the U.S. Senate is a good reminder that NRA members and Second Amendment supporters must remain vigilant against any and all attempts to limit that right. We applaud Sen. Grassley for standing up to protect the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans.
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