Blake Farenthold: “Under current practice, if a veteran or beneficiary is appointed a fiduciary by the VA, they are automatically labeled…”

“Under current practice, if a veteran or beneficiary is appointed a fiduciary by the VA, they are automatically labeled as mentally defective and added to the FBI's background check system which prohibits them from purchasing a firearm. This rule fails to identify which beneficiaries have a mental illness that make them a danger, instead instituting a blanket ban on anyone who needs help managing their benefits, and it discourages veterans who need help from seeking help. The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act will prohibit the VA from considering a beneficiary just because they are assisted by a fiduciary as mentally defective without due process. Just because you have trouble managing your finances doesn't mean you are dangerously mentally ill. This discourages veterans who may need help from seeking help. We owe it to our veterans and to all Americans to protect the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and ensure that they are not taken away without due process. That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.”