Gun Laws & Legislation

Sen. Moran Introduces Bill to Protect Second Amendment Rights from U.N. Arms Treaty

Mike Piccione Editor, Guns & Gear
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced legislation this week to protect the rights of American gun owners from being undermined by a United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. The Second Amendment Sovereignty Act, S.2205, would prohibit the Obama Administration from using the “voice, vote, and influence” of the United States during Arms Trade Treaty negotiations to restrict in any way the Second Amendment rights of U.S. citizens, including regulation of civilian firearms and ammunition.

“The Second Amendment Sovereignty Act ensures that our country’s sovereignty and firearm freedoms will not be infringed upon by an international organization made up of many countries with little respect for gun rights,” Sen. Moran said.  “Our Second Amendment rights are not negotiable.”

In October of 2009 at the U.N. General Assembly, the Obama Administration reversed the previous Administration’s position and voted for the United States to participate in negotiating the Arms Trade Treaty, purportedly to establish “common international standards for the import, export, and transfer of conventional arms,” including tanks, helicopters, and missiles. However, with regular calls to include civilian arms and ammunition within its scope, the Arms Trade Treaty could restrict the lawful ownership of firearms that Americans use to hunt, target shoot, and defend themselves.  The Treaty is expected to be finalized in July 2012.

“America leads the world in export standards to ensure arms are transferred for legitimate purposes, and this bill will make certain that law-abiding Americans are not wrongfully penalized,” Sen. Moran continued.

The introduction of the Second Amendment Sovereignty Act is Sen. Moran’s most recent effort in his push to make sure an Arms Trade Treaty that undermines the constitutional rights of American gun owners is dead on arrival in the Senate. In July 2011, Sen. Moran led 44 of his Senate colleagues in notifying President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton of their intent to oppose ratification of an Arms Trade Treaty that in any way restricts Americans’ Second Amendment rights. This opposition is enough to block the treaty from Senate passage, as treaties submitted to the U.S. Senate require approval of two-thirds of Senators present to be ratified.