Friends and neighbors,

On May 9, Democrats once again chose a path of hyper-partisanship instead of cooperation, forcing through a controversial gun control bill under the guise of addressing straw purchases.

The bill initially began as a Republican-authored proposal to crack down on individuals who knowingly purchase firearms for those who are prohibited from owning them. When three Burnsville first responders were killed by a man who obtained his guns through an illegal straw purchase, the issue gained renewed attention.

After ignoring the Republican proposal for a year, Democrats took this previously non-controversial bill and made it highly contentious by introducing two notable provisions:

First, they expanded the definition of straw purchases to potentially criminalize individuals who may not have been aware that the recipient was prohibited from owning firearms.

Second, they broadened the definition of binary triggers, which will capture a significantly larger number of firearms owned by law-abiding citizens.

These provisions will have the effect of turning many responsible and law-abiding gun owners into criminals.

And, of course, the Democrats relied on the deciding vote of a Senator who has been charged with a felony crime of violence to pass this Second Amendment infringement.

While we did propose an amendment to increase penalties for straw purchasers from five to ten years if the purchased firearm is used to assault or harm a public safety officer – which was adopted with bipartisan support – the overall bill remains an extremely partisan effort by the Democrats to erode the rights of law-abiding and responsible gun owners.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. We must stand firm in protecting our constitutional rights.

God Bless,