Moore Backs Bill Protecting Veterans’ Gun Rights

U.S. Representative Barry Moore (R-AL-01) voted Thursday in favor of the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act, a measure supporters say would protect Veterans from losing their firearm rights without a court ruling.

The bill, H.R. 1041, passed the House on a 216-201 vote.

According to the legislation, the Department of Veterans Affairs would be barred from sending certain Veterans’ names to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System solely because they need help managing their VA benefits through a fiduciary arrangement.

Moore, who served as an original cosponsor of the bill, said the legislation protects both Veterans’ benefits and their constitutional rights.

“America’s Veterans put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, and Congress has a responsibility to make sure they receive the care and benefits they earned,” Moore said.

“The passage of the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protections Act ensures that Veterans will never be forced to choose between receiving assistance from VA to manage their benefits or their fundamental constitutional rights.”

Supporters of the measure argue the current system allows Veterans to lose Second Amendment rights through an administrative process rather than a judicial finding. House Republicans and Veterans’ advocates have pushed for changes for several years, saying fiduciary status alone should not trigger firearm restrictions.

The legislation follows recent action by the Department of Veterans Affairs to end the long-standing practice of reporting some Veterans with fiduciaries to the FBI background check system without a court determination.

The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration.