Rep. Graves Votes in Favor of HR 2578

From the Office of U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, who represents Paulding County

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the Fiscal Year 2016 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Act (H.R. 2578), legislation that includes provisions preventing the administration’s unilateral implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty and permanently blocking “gun walking” operations:

“Each American has a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. This legislation prevents the Obama administration from implementing a dangerous United Nations treaty signed by Secretary of State Kerry, which could lead to a national gun registry. A registry would leave millions of law abiding gun owners throughout Georgia and around the country vulnerable to confiscation schemes. This legislation is critical in protecting our Second Amendment rights from the Obama administration’s gun control efforts.

“Additionally, this bill permanently blocks gun walking programs. As we saw with Operation Fast and Furious, not only do gun walking operations waste taxpayer dollars but they put American lives in danger. Voting for this legislation is a vote to permanently end these unacceptable programs.”

BACKGROUND

Arms Trade Treaty: Secretary of State John Kerry signed the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty on September 25, 2013. The treaty urges importing countries to provide exporting countries with information on the end-users of the exchanged firearms, including “small arms and light weapons.” This would encompass guns owned by law abiding Americans, and could become a national gun registry.

H.R. 2578 prohibits the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty unless it is ratified by the U.S. Senate.

Operation Fast and Furious: From 2009 to 2011, as part of Operation Fast and Furious, the Justice Department allowed the illegal sale of thousands of guns that were sent across the U.S. border to drug cartels in Mexico. Some of these guns were linked to the murders of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata and hundreds of Mexican nationals.