Adrian Smith: “I appreciate this opportunity to certainly stand in support of our Second Amendment. This is an issue that has obviously…”

“I appreciate this opportunity to certainly stand in support of our Second Amendment. This is an issue that has obviously been around for some time. With the recent very violent events that have stricken various communities around our country, I think that the way the President has chosen to respond is ineffective. I think it is inappropriate, certainly an overreach by the President himself. I believe that, as the President has chosen to operate without going to Congress or even attempting to work with Congress on many issues, but especially this one, it is disappointing. We already have laws on the books that need enforcing. Those laws that we have I think can be effective. Certainly, I don't think anyone will say that someone can just automatically go buy a gun without any effort whatsoever. But, disappointingly, none of the President's recent unilateral actions targeting law-abiding citizens and restricting gun ownership would have prevented the tragedies that the President himself has referenced. I would like to highlight one area of the executive order which falls under the jurisdiction of the committee on which I serve, the Ways and Means Committee, which is the President's proposal to have Social Security beneficiaries with representative payees included in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Now, let me say that the mismanagement of one's finances alone should not mean that an individual would lose their Second Amendment rights.…”