Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Ohio for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the fundamental truth is that the Second Amendment guarantees the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms to protect themselves and their loved ones.

America's Founders spoke on this issue extensively. Benjamin Franklin warned that those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin was right. The American tradition of self-reliance, self- determination, and self-defense has been fierce. It has been what makes this country so exceptional and so great.

Today, the House will vote on legislation that would undermine that very right. What is worse is that both of these bills would not have prevented mass shootings or tragedies across this Nation. Those are awful events. We all agree that those events are awful. But in those cases, the criminal either passed a background check or they stole their weapons.

We cannot sacrifice our rights by passing laws that will make our families less safe and laws that criminals will simply ignore. We must always protect and preserve our God-given Second Amendment right.

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Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, point of order. I would request that the colleague from Virginia direct his remarks to you and not to other colleagues.

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