Graves: I voted to reverse Obama's attacks on gun owners and sportsmen

(From Sixth District Congressman Sam Graves)

During their last days in power, the Obama administration desperately issued a flurry of rules, regulations, and executive actions. Their intentions were obvious – get as much done as quickly as possible – with no time for congressional oversight or opportunity to evaluate those decisions.

One of those moves directly impacts northern Missouri – changing the name of a local wildlife refuge that’s been in place for over 80 years because the administration considered it “offensive.” Another focused on a constitutional right that Obama attacked again and again over the past eight years – our gun rights.

On January 19, 2017, his last full day as President, Obama’s Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) issued an order to ban the use of traditional lead-based ammunition and tackle on federal lands.

Lead-based ammunition and tackle are a preferred choice of both sportsmen and fishermen across this country – primarily because of their low cost. And every sportsman in America knows how important public lands are in providing safe, affordable places for all of us to hunt and fish.

Blocking public lands to only those who can afford non lead-based ammunition drives up the cost to hunt, and it ultimately restricts the ability for law-abiding Americans to safely and freely exercise their Second Amendment rights. This is just another example of anti-gun liberals using creative, round-about ways to keep guns out of the hands of everyday Americans.

Over the past few years, various local governments have floated ammunition taxes as a way to impose unconstitutional gun restrictions on American citizens. I fought that initiative, writing the Stop Taxing the Second Amendment Act in order to prevent local lawmakers from using taxes or fees to limit our gun rights.

And to stop FWS’ ammunition ban, I recently joined about 60 of my Congressional colleagues to ask President Trump to reverse this misguided decision.

When I took office, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That includes preserving the rights of law-abiding citizens to purchase, own, and use firearms for legitimate purposes. I will continue doing everything possible to protect that right for Missourians and American citizens across this country.