Budget

Bad Sign, Moderate Manchin Supports Gun Legislation!

Published on June 14, 2022

On Monday, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin insisted that the newly reached bipartisan gun deal will not threaten Second Amendment rights.

The moderate Democrat, who has previously blocked his party from moving forward with more expansive gun control laws, was being interviewed on “The Lead” with CNN’s Jake Tapper when he assured gun owners the agreement is intended to prevent gun violence, not take away gun rights.

“It’s based around children. It’s based around prevention and intervention. That’s what it’s based about. So we have to take what we have as a positive, and work off of this. This piece of legislation as drafted should not be threatening to any law-abiding citizen in the United States of America. Not one,” Manchin said.

“And no law-abiding gun owner should be offended by this. We take no rights away, no privileges away. We don’t basically threaten you’re going to lose anything at all, except maybe if we don’t do this, you might lose a child or a grandchild,” he added.

Machin’s comments must come as a surprise to his constituents

This legislation would provide significant funding to help states create new red flag laws, but the 19 states — and Washington, DC — that already have these laws on the books would also be eligible for funding to improve the effectiveness of their established programs.

Second Amendment rights, some gun activists, are calling for Republicans to reject the agreement.

Gun Owners of America, which bills itself as the only “no compromise” gun lobby in Washington, D.C., issued a call to action Monday urging the bill to be “filibustered and ripped to pieces.”

The group opposes red-flag laws, which it calls “Confiscation Laws,” and expressed concerns that proposed changes to the definition of Federal Firearms Licenses “could require that anyone who sells more than one gun now has to sell any additional guns as, or through, an FFL, resulting in a backdoor mechanism for universal background registration checks.”

“Senators need to know that gun owners will not let them get away with calling this a ‘compromise.’ This is gun control, plain and simple,” said GOA senior vice president Erich Pratt.

The bill would also increase the review process for buyers under 21

The legislation includes a more thorough review process for people between the ages of 18 and 21 who go to buy a gun like an AR-15.

Under a background check review, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System would have to also contact state and local law enforcement to search for any disqualifying mental health or juvenile records, according to the Democratic aide.

NICS would be required to call the appropriate agency that adjudicates mental health records in each state. NICS would have up to 3 days to conduct the search, but it could be extended another seven days if the initial review raises concerns, meaning the process could take a total of 10 days.

This bill is unconstitutional as presented and must be killed before any votes are taken on it.