The gun debate is a constant tension between gun rights and gun control. This is bad enough as it pertains to a fundamental, constitutionally protected right, but then you have this same debate happening at every level of government. It's not just a federal thing, but a state and local issues as well in many places.
And a new bill seeks to at least end part of that debate.
One of the priorities for most anti-gunners are so-called assault weapon bans, laws that prohibit possession of firearms that meet specific but arbitrary criteria. In theory, this will prevent people from owning AR-15s, AK-47s, and similar models of firearms, but in doing so, a lot of other guns tend to be caught up in the mix, too.
Now, a bill has been introduced that seeks to put an end to this at the state level.
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today introduced the Second Amendment Guarantee Act (SAGA) to ensure that states are prohibited from banning the manufacture, sale, importation, or possession of any rifle or shotgun that is lawfully permitted under federal law.
Additional cosponsors of this legislation include Representative Doug LaMalfa (CA-1) and Nick Langworthy (NY-23).
New York's SAFE Act, signed into law under disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo, prohibits law-abiding New Yorkers from purchasing, transferring, and owning certain firearms. If signed into law, this SAGA Act would nullify the SAFE Act and prevent New York and other states from passing unconstitutional gun bans.
"The Constitution clearly established our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. The SAGA Act nullifies New York's unconstitutional SAFE Act and prevents other states from enacting laws that violate the Second Amendment. This legislation upholds our country's founding principle of protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans, even from liberal states with anti-gun policies," said Congresswoman Tenney.
"No matter how hard radical Democrats in Albany attempt to limit lawful gun ownership, the New York Congressional delegation will stand firm to protect law-abiding New Yorkers and manufacturers in protecting their constitutional rights. I am proud to join Rep. Tenney and my New York colleagues in Congress to ensure these rights ‘shall not be infringed, and I will never back down in my fight to protect the Second Amendment,” said Congressman Langworthy.
Over at Ammoland, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear arms chairman Alan Gottlieb wrote in support of the measures.
He noted:
“This important legislation comes at a time when a minority of states, run by anti-gun legislative majorities, have adopted or are trying to adopt bans on the most popular rifles and shotguns in the country,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “These prohibitions deprive citizens in those states of their Second Amendment rights under color of state law, which cannot be allowed.”
While Tenney’s legislation is described as a response to New York’s Draconian “SAFE” Act, which was signed into law by disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, passage of SAGA would nullify bans in other states, and prevent consideration of such laws in the future.
That's right, this measure would basically overturn assault weapon bans throughout the nation.
Now, the big question is whether it will actually become law or not. There, I'm skeptical.
I don't want to be, mind you. I want to see this pass and become law, if for no other reason than it being a step toward federal preemption or something like that.
However, it has to go through the House, which it might but it also may be sent to committee to die because some squishy Republicans think this is too much for the American people. If it does come to a vote, though, some GOP members may well vote against it while making some vague comments about federalism or something of that sort--which is a bogus argument since this just solidifies the Second Amendment--and there's no guarantee it won't kill it either in committee or in a House vote.
If it makes it through the House, though, then it has to go to the Senate. There, Democrats can block it with the filibuster--and no, I'm not handing them a guide on how to do it. They already know--so that it goes nowhere from there.
With that said, I pray I'm wrong. I'd love to see this cross President Donald Trump's desk and be signed into law. I'd love to hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth it would create.
I'm just not overly hopeful.
