DES MOINES, Iowa – Two of Iowa’s U.S. Representatives, Randy Feenstra, R-IA 04, and Ashley Hinson, R-IA 01, said that President Joe Biden’s announcement about upcoming executive actions to address gun violence infringes on Second Amendment rights.
Biden announced four executive actions that he would take as President:
- Add “ghost guns” (kits that provide buyers instructions to assemble guns at home) to the list of firearms under the Gun Control Act. This action, he said, would require sellers and manufacturers to add serial numbers to key parts and run background checks on buyers.
- Order the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) to release a new annual report on gun trafficking.
- Add stabilizing brace modifications to handguns to the National Firearms Act requiring purchasers to pay a fee and submit their name to the DOJ.
- Have the DOJ publish a model “red flag” law that states can use to enact legislation that would enable judges in their states to issue gun violence protection orders that temporarily confiscate firearms owned by the order’s target.
After Biden’s remarks, Feenstra tweeted, “I’m a strong & passionate defender of 2A rights. The Founding Fathers enshrined the 2nd Amendment in our Constitution for a reason — it’s our fundamental right to keep & bear arms. Biden’s proposals blatantly infringe on this constitutional right.”
I'm a strong & passionate defender of 2A rights. The Founding Fathers enshrined the 2nd Amendment in our Constitution for a reason — it's our fundamental right to keep & bear arms. Biden's proposals blatantly infringe on this constitutional right. #IA04https://t.co/naErsP1iXr
— Rep. Randy Feenstra (@RepFeenstra) April 8, 2021
Hinson released a statement:
“The President’s executive actions trample on the Constitutional rights of Iowans and unfairly target law-abiding gun owners. With the stroke of a pen, the President would make it harder to purchase a firearm for self defense and potentially make millions of lawful gunowners criminals. He also nominated a gun-control lobbyist to regulate firearms at the federal level. I will fight this federal gun grab and continue standing up for our Second Amendment rights,” she said.
Biden argued during his remarks that these actions do not violate the Second Amendment.
“Nothing — nothing I’m about to recommend in any way impinges on the Second Amendment. They’re phony, arguments suggesting that these are Second Amendment rights at stake from what we’re talking about,” he said. “But no amendment — no amendment to the Constitution is absolute.”
“From the very beginning that the Second Amendment existed, certain people weren’t allowed to have weapons. So the idea is just bizarre to suggest that some of the things we’re recommending are contrary to the Constitution,” he added.
