Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I rise today to protect public safety and honor the original intent of this bill through a simple, commonsense amendment. Many of us on both sides of the aisle agree with the goal of H.R. 3091, to allow Federal law enforcement officers to buy retired handguns, many of which are already required to be destroyed. However, an oversight could enable domestic abusers, including those subject to restraining orders, to get firearms, which we all know can have deadly consequences. Police officers are human. They aren't immune from mental illness, domestic and family conflict, and other stressors that can lead to tragedies. We can and should have guardrails to prevent those tragedies. That is why my amendment simply ensures that each Federal law enforcement agency has procedures for determining whether an officer is in good standing to buy a firearm. Agencies would have the flexibility to tailor those determinations based on the qualifications of each agency, but these guidelines should be clear and concise. Existing Federal law already carves out special treatment for law enforcement officers by allowing them to have a gun even if they have a domestic violence restraining order. That is dangerous. All gun owners should meet the same standard, and law enforcement agencies shouldn't consider an officer who is perpetrating violence against a family or household member to be in good standing and able to buy a handgun.…”