<[link removed]>

I hope you saw my latest weekly column.



ROGER WICKER: Mississippi Senator Leads Effort To Overturn Pistol Brace Rule,
Expand Concealed Carry Reciprocity
<[link removed]>





Americans’ constitutional right to keep and bear arms should not be up for
debate. But misguided politicians and bureaucrats in Washington often treat the
Second Amendment like it’s a second-class right.



That disregard was evident last week, when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms (ATF) published a new Biden Administration rule that subjects pistols
with stabilizing braces to the regulatory and tax requirements normally
reserved for short-barreled rifles. Conservative organizations like the
National Rifle Association were right to call this rule what it is – a gross
federal overreach that misunderstands both firearms and the Second Amendment.



Repealing the ATF Pistol Brace Rule



Supporters of the Second Amendment in Congress and across the country worked
to stop this regulatory abuse. When the ATF announced it was considering
implementing the rule in June of 2021, gun-rights groups stepped up to educate
the Administration on the proposal’s flaws. These advocates highlighted the
burden it would place on disabled veterans and sportsmen who rely on pistol
braces.



Despite these good-faith efforts, the ATF decided to push ahead anyway. The
final rule contradicts the Bureau’s past positions and reverses over a decade
of guidance that gun owners have used to make purchasing decisions. Law-abiding
owners will now be forced to register these guns, modify them, surrender them,
or destroy them. If they do not, they could soon face a federal felony charge.
It is not clear how any of these provisions would improve gun safety.



From my first days in Congress, I have worked to defend the Second Amendment
and protect the rights of every American, including gun owners. I am joining
Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana in introducing a resolution that would
nullify this outrageous and unnecessary regulation.



Supporting Concealed Carry Between States



This latest ATF rule is a reminder that the fight for the Second Amendment
continues in the 118th Congress. I recently cosponsored the Constitutional
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which was introduced by Senator John Cornyn of
Texas. The premise of the bill is simple, and it should be unobjectionable. Gun
owners with concealed-carry privileges should have the same protections in
every state – so long as they abide by that state’s laws and meet all federal
requirements.



The fact that this policy is not already the law of the land is evidence of
how much work remains. Gun owners with concealed carry privileges are
overwhelmingly law-abiding citizens, hence their licenses and permits. Their
constitutional rights should never be questioned, including when they travel to
states with restrictive gun rules.



Restrictive Laws Are Not the Answer



Misguided gun-control policies are ineffective at best or harmful at worst.
Some of the most terrible gun violence happens in places with the most onerous
gun laws, including in jurisdictions like Illinois or California, which each
have dozens of gun restrictions. What makes schools and communities safe is
when they have strong law-enforcement presences, supportive families and
organizations, and focus on mental health, especially for troubled young people.



In Federalist 28, Alexander Hamilton described the “original right of
self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government.” When that
right is challenged, Congress and the Court will push back. In cases like
District of Columbia v. Heller, the Second Amendment hung on the vote of just
one Supreme Court justice. Fortunately, with a conservative majority and
outstanding recent additions like Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh,
and Neil Gorsuch, I am confident that this Court will protect the Second
Amendment. I will work to ensure my colleagues in Congress do the same.



You can click here to share my Op-Ed with your friends on Facebook!
<[link removed]>



Thank you for your support,

Senator Roger Wicker






Donate
<[link removed]>
Please mail contributions to P.O. Box 64, Jackson, MS 39205.


Paid for by Wicker for Senate


You can also keep up with Roger Wicker on Twitter
<[link removed]> or Facebook.
<[link removed]>


Don't want to receive our emails anymore? Unsubscribe
<[link removed]>