Senate Republicans recently took an important step to codify recent Supreme Court decisions reinforcing Second Amendment rights. The Senate Judiciary Committee’s 10 Republican members co-sponsored the Respect for the Second Amendment Act.
As the high court has ruled in favor of defending rights recognized for over two centuries in the U.S., senators see the opportunity to enshrine these decisions into federal law.
Their proposal came within days of President Joe Biden taking unilateral action with an executive order to greatly expand the background check system.
The White House also pushed many measures, such as firearm safety, that are already supported by the weapons industry.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) issued a statement indicating his satisfaction with the fact that all Senate Judiciary Republicans “are speaking with one voice when it comes to supporting the Second Amendment.” He cited the monumental high court decisions in the Heller and Bruen cases.
I am very pleased that all Senate Judiciary Republicans are speaking with one voice when it comes to supporting the Second Amendment rights recognized by the Supreme Court in the Heller and Bruen decisions.
PRESS CONFERENCE LIVE:https://t.co/JTLOJnu3Kj
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 16, 2023
Last year’s landmark Bruen ruling struck down the New York law infringing on the rights of citizens for concealed carry as unconstitutional.
The bill, among other aims, protects against future changes in the composition of the Supreme Court. It allows legal action against government measures that infringe on Second Amendment liberties.
The winner of a private gun rights lawsuit would have responsibility for their attorney fees shifted to the government, and state and local gun control statutes may be struck down when they conflict with federal law.
Graham added that this is the best time for Congress to “recognize and support the Second Amendment. It is an individual right, he added, “and the right to bear arms to defend oneself is an integral part of American society.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the former Senate Judiciary chairman, agreed with Graham. In his own statement, he declared that the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans must be upheld.
He further called the constitution’s wording “clear” that Americans have the right to keep and bear arms.
Sen. Tom Cotton praised the legislation as reaffirming what the Supreme Court made clear. “Americans have undeniable Second Amendment rights that can’t be taken away, by the State of New York or anyone else.”
Cotton also noted that a constitutional amendment would sweep across all states and could not be subjugated or ignored by Democratic-led states such as New York.
