WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley today issued the following statement after voting to prevent terrorists from purchasing firearms, while preserving fundamental due process protections guaranteed by the Constitution.
“Nobody wants terrorists to get their hands on guns and put Americans in harm’s way. We can accomplish this goal while respecting law-abiding Americans’ fundamental constitutional rights.
“One way is by using existing tools, like the ‘no-fly’ list, with additional due process protections to make sound determinations about who should have access to guns and who should not. Fortunately, the vast majority of people on these lists are not in the United States, so they cannot buy guns here in the first place. But to address those who are, we voted on two amendments today; one by Senator Johnson and one by Senator Collins. Both would prevent people from buying guns if they are on the ‘no-fly’ list or the ‘selectee list,’ which requires greater scrutiny at airports.
“I supported the Johnson amendment, which would require the government to first prove in court that someone attempting to buy a gun is correctly on one of the lists before permanently blocking the sale. This leaves in place important due process rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The Collins amendment does not provide this protection. Instead, it would allow the government to block the sale, forcing potential buyers to prove in court that they were improperly on the list after their Second Amendment right was violated. Americans should not have to prove that they are entitled to rights after they are violated; it’s the government’s duty to make its case before taking those rights away.
“The Constitution must be our guiding document. We can keep terrorists from having guns and protect the constitutional rights of law abiding Americans. It doesn’t have to be an either/or solution.
“The attack in Orlando was an assault on freedom and our very way of life. It’s time to get our eye on the ball and begin dealing with the real problem of radical Islamist terrorism.”
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