Jason Smith: Fighting the left's anti-gun agenda

(From Eighth District Congressman Jason Smith)

Like so many Americans, I am completely fed up with the Left’s endless attacks on rural communities and our way of life. Whether they’re trying to ban gas-powered vehicles, legalize abortion on demand, or force people to take COVID vaccines, the Left views the federal government as a tool to transform Missouri into a blue state like California or New York. That’s especially true when it comes to the Second Amendment.

During a recent speech pushing his anti-gun agenda, President Joe Biden said, “Guess what, if you need 12 to 100 bullets in a gun, in a magazine, you’re the lousiest shot I’ve ever heard.” His speech, which included a call for a ban on certain magazines and universal background checks, was just one of many examples of his never-ending attacks on law-abiding gun owners.

In April, the Biden administration announced a new rule that threatens to turn thousands of law-abiding gun owners into criminals. The rule seeks to require anyone who sells a firearm to register as a federal firearm licensee and use the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in order to sell a gun, whether it’s to a family member or hunting buddy. Thankfully, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is leading the fight to stop this attack on behalf of Missouri gun owners.

It’s unacceptable that Biden is circumventing Congress to advance the Left’s illegal, anti-gun agenda. The bottom line is that the Second Amendment cannot be legislated away. And as your voice in Congress, I will never stop fighting to protect law-abiding gun owners from the Left’s attacks on this fundamental freedom.

Additionally, as blue states become emboldened to attack our Second Amendment rights, these states are choosing to criminalize legal concealed-carry rights. That’s why I coauthored the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This legislation allows citizens licensed in one state to carry concealed firearms in any other state. The bill provides a simple solution to the question of whether a license-carrying, law-abiding citizen can exercise their constitutional right to bear arms across state lines.

One of the biggest threats facing law-abiding gun owners right now is the Biden administration’s rule restricting pistol braces, which are helpful for individuals – including disabled veterans – who lack physical strength to comfortably fire pistols. I was proud to coauthor H. J. Res 44 that passed the House of Representatives back in June to get rid of this overreaching Biden administration rule. In addition, I’ve coauthored two amicus briefs urging the Supreme Court to block the rule from going into effect.

I’ve fought to stop the Left’s attacks on Missouri’s Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, which produces ammo for our armed forces and gun owners all across America. Right now, the radical Left is pushing the Biden administration to halt production of certain types of ammo for commercial sales, which would destroy countless jobs, increase the nationwide ammo shortage, and hurt our military readiness. I coauthored a letter to the Biden administration demanding they reject calls to ban commercial sales of ammo production at Lake City. Radical Leftists are simply trying to make it impossible for gun owners to purchase ammo for the firearm they need to hunt, defend their families, or shoot targets.

During a speech last year, former President Donald Trump hit the nail on the head when he said mass shootings aren’t a gun problem: "This is a mental health problem, this is a social problem, this is a cultural problem, this is a spiritual problem.” Evil people, not firearms, are responsible for despicable acts of violence. But that’s something the Left refuses to understand. But make no mistake: I will NEVER back down in the fight to protect your Second Amendment rights.