Amazingly, that is not the case.
So, on Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed an amendment proposed by Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) to step up and do just that. He declared to Fox News Digital, “Veterans who sacrificed to defend our Constitution shouldn’t see their own rights rest on the judgment of unelected bureaucrats — but right now, they do.”
Kennedy added, “My amendment would prevent government workers from unduly stripping veterans of their right to bear arms. Every veteran who bravely serves our country has earned VA benefits, and it’s wrong for the government to punish veterans who get a helping hand to manage these resources.”
The Louisiana lawmaker’s effort was joined by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS).
The legislation was written to block this blatant overreach by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
In 2016, the VA enacted a change that had many who served in the armed forces worried about losing their precious Second Amendment liberties. All a veteran had to do to be in danger was need assistance in managing their finances.
The Los Angeles Times reported the VA’s new strategy meant that veterans “declared incompetent to manage pension or disability payments and assigned a fiduciary” were automatically reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Checks System (NICS).
This one act meant they could no longer legally purchase a weapon.
A push in 2019 to overturn this onerous regulation came from Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Phil Roe (R-TN). The pair teamed up to challenge the VA’s policy, arguing that servicemen and women fought to defend the very constitutional rights that were now being denied.
Roe explained, “As veterans, these same men and women can be deprived of one of those rights by a government bureaucrat without due process. Even violent criminals are treated better than that. This is a disgrace, and the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act would put a stop to it.”
Despite their effort, it is widely reported that the denial of these fundamental liberties for veterans continued.
According to Fox News, “Under current law, the Department of Veterans Affairs reports a veteran’s name to the FBI’s National Instant Background Check System when they seek help managing their finances in a conservatorship.”
Kennedy’s proposal passed the Senate on Wednesday by a 53-45 margin. It is mind-boggling to think that 45 senators voted against protecting veterans’ rights.
That, however, was the position of anti-gun Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT). He shamefully argued that the legislation would permit “mentally incompetent” veterans to obtain firearms.
This is disingenuous at best. Anyone who has cared for elderly relatives knows that needed assistance with finances is a far cry from being “mentally incompetent.” Murphy should be ashamed for voting to deny due process to what should be our most protected class.
NRA-ILA Executive Director Randy Kozuch told Fox News Digital Wednesday that “the men and women who volunteer to defend the Constitution deserve to be protected by the same Constitution for which they risk life and limb.”
Kozuch called it a “national embarrassment” that Washington bureaucrats were permitted to rip Second Amendment rights away from veterans. “On behalf of millions of NRA members, many of whom are veterans, we applaud Senators Kennedy and Moran for leading on this important issue.”
Gun rights advocacy group Gun Owners of America declared that “VA bureaucrats should NOT be unilaterally disarming veterans!” The organization then thanked Kennedy for his leadership.
