Gardner Votes to Protect 2nd Amendment, Prevent Terrorists From Purchasing Guns

Press Release

Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) today voted in favor of an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill that would prevent terrorists from purchasing guns while protecting 2nd Amendment rights.

The amendment encourages enhanced coordination and information sharing among state, local, and federal law enforcement officials by creating a process to notify federal, state, and local law enforcement when an individual who has been investigated as a known or suspected terrorist in the past five years attempts to purchase a gun. The measure bolsters law enforcement detection by allowing the Attorney General to delay gun sales for up to three business days to anyone on FBI's various watch lists. The Attorney General then has the opportunity to ask a court to determine if there is probable cause to believe that the individual has committed acts of terrorism or plans to in the future, and a judge can deny the sale of the firearm after due process.

"Our country continues to mourn the victims of the horrific terror attack in Orlando, and I continue to pray for the families of the victims and all of those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy. While some have politicized the attack in Orlando, many of us have been focused on the problem at hand and real solutions to fix it. That includes acknowledging the enemy responsible for the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11 was the product of Islamic extremism," said Gardner. "That's why I voted to enhance communication and coordination among state, local, and federal officials to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons, but also ensure due process and protect the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners. We need to work together to put forth policies designed to target and combat the true enemies at hand -- ISIS and homegrown terrorism -- and not those who lawfully purchase firearms and exercise their Constitutionally-protected rights."

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