Today, Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) introduced a bill to protect the Second Amendment. The Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act (H.R. 1534) would prevent executive action from imposing gun control.
In various reports, gun control organizations have encouraged the Biden Administration to administratively restrict the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. One option that is being explored is for the administration to declare gun violence a public health emergency. Outside groups are advising the Biden Administration to do so in order to accelerate policies that curb gun owners’ rights.
As the Biden Administration considers its options to restrict the ability to own, possess, or purchase a firearm, Congressman Cloud's legislation would combat this infringement.
The bill would prohibit the president (or any designee thereof) from declaring an emergency for the purposes of imposing gun control. It would also block government officials from prohibiting the manufacturing, sale, or transfer of firearms and ammunition during a major disaster or emergency.
"Those who violate firearm laws should be held accountable for their crimes, not the millions of lawful firearms owners across the country," said Congressman Cloud. “Already, the Biden Administration has exercised extraordinary executive power to push its liberal agenda and expand the power of the government. My bill would push back against any infringement on the Second Amendment."
Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the National Rifle Association support the legislation.
GOA’s Director of Federal Affairs Aidan Johnston said, “Representative Cloud’s legislation would provide a meaningful update to the federal law, protecting gun owners from President Joe Biden’s and Department of Health and Human Services nominee Xavier Becerra’s impending anti-gun agenda.”
Thirty-five Members of Congress joined Congressman Cloud's bill as original cosponsors. Several released the following statements regarding the bill:
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03): “As a member of Congress, I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and that is what I intend to do. Our Founders enshrined that the Second Amendment is necessary to the security of a free state, and I am committed to ensuring that our freedom continues. Infringement on any of our rights is a threat to our Constitution and the freedoms it protects. President Biden and his radical leftist HHS Secretary nominee, Xavier Becerra, know that I will fight them every step of the way if they trample the Constitution with their radical ideology."
Congressman Ted Budd (NC-13): "As a gun store owner myself, I have a unique respect for one of our Constitution’s most cherished rights. I will never allow our Second Amendment rights to be infringed upon and that’s why I support Rep. Cloud’s Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act."
Congressman Scott DesJarlais (TN-04): "As a physician I do not take the term ‘public health emergency’ lightly. Gun violence is not a disease that is highly infectious or a biological weapon of warfare. A president should never be able to use an emergency declaration to fit his or her own political agenda—it is an ethical and constitutional violation. I have vowed to the people of Tennessee’s Fourth Congressional District that I will defend their Second Amendment rights at every turn."
Congressman Jeff Duncan (SC-03): "The Biden Administration has several radical, anti-gun measures up their sleeve that would completely erode our Second Amendment liberties. It will be up to the freedom fighters in Congress, including myself and Rep. Cloud, to ensure safeguards are in place that protect against harmful executive overreach on our Constitutional rights. I’m proud to support Rep. Cloud’s pro-Second Amendment legislation, the “The Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act,” that would prevent the Executive branch from declaring gun violence as a public health emergency, for the purposes of imposing gun control measures. We must do everything we can to hold this Administration accountable."
Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-04): "Joe Biden is on an unholy mission to take away the 2nd Amendment rights from every American. Declaring gun violence a public health crisis is the latest radical measure proposed by this Administration. I am a proud cosponsor of the Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act. This important legislation is necessary to prevent Biden from using executive orders to skirt the need to get congressional approval for new gun laws and slapping new restrictions on legal gun owners."
Congresswoman Yvette Herrell (NM-02): "It would be wrong of President Biden to abuse his power by declaring guns a ‘public health emergency,’ but it would be even worse to use an actual emergency to restrict Americans’ 2nd Amendment Rights. This legislation puts the Biden administration on notice that Congress will allow law-abiding Americans to be denied their Constitutional rights during any emergency, real or otherwise.”
Congressman Alex Mooney (WV-02): “In Congress, I am proud to defend the Second Amendment rights of Americans, which is why I cosponsored The Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act. We must pass this legislation in Congress to prevent the Biden Administration from imposing a left-wing gun control agenda under the guise of a public health emergency.”
Congressman Ralph Norman (SC-05): "It should concern all Americans that the same party who refused to condemn the ‘defund the police’ movement last summer is the same party who remains eerily silent on any commitment to protect the Second Amendment. I want to thank Rep. Cloud for his leadership on this important issue. We must never allow misguided politicians to infringe upon our constitutional rights."
Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT): "The 2nd Amendment was written to prevent the government from seizing arms as the British tried to do at Lexington and Concord. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation, which would put a stop to the new Administration’s unconstitutional attacks on the 2nd Amendment."
Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21): "Our unalienable right defend our lives, liberty, families, and property by the use of arms was given to us by God, and it cannot be justly taken away by government. But radical Democrats will use any means necessary to erode our Second Amendment’s protection of that right. I am proud to join my friend Congressman Cloud’s bill and to stand up against a President and a party that want to disarm law-abiding American citizens by any means necessary."
Congressman Steve Womack (AR-03): "The right to keep and bear arms is clearly prescribed by the Constitution. Any attempts by the Administration to use executive orders to bypass Congress and erode the Second Amendment are unconstitutional. We have a duty to defend the fundamental rights of law-abiding citizens, and this bill will support that priority."
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Please find photos of Congressman Cloud signing the bill here.
