Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the chance to speak on this bill and I certainly appreciate Chairman Bost's leadership on this important matter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1041, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act.

This bill is about basic fairness and restoring a standard that respects both our veterans and the Constitution. Under current practice, a veteran who simply needs help managing their VA benefits can be reported to the FBI's background check system and lose their Second Amendment rights without ever appearing before a judge.

That is an extraordinary outcome for something as routine as appointing a fiduciary. No other American loses a constitutional right because of an administrative decision about their finances, and our veterans should not be that exception.

H.R. 1041 corrects that imbalance. It restores the principle that should have guided this process from the beginning: Only a court of law can determine whether someone poses a danger to themselves or others. That is the due process standard our system is built on, and it is the only standard appropriate when a constitutional right is at stake.

It safeguards both due process and the constitutional freedoms our veterans fought to defend. By reaffirming that these determinations must be made through proper legal channels, the bill ensures veterans are treated with the same fairness and dignity as every other American.

It also brings clarity and consistency to a process that has too often been confusing, unevenly applied, and out of step with the protections guaranteed to all citizens. Our veterans stood in defense of the Constitution and they deserve nothing less than its full protection in return. H.R. 1041 honors that commitment.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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