WASHINGTON — Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL4) is taking a strong stance against an amendment to the House 2017 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill that he believes could severely restrict the gun rights of law-abiding American citizens.
“America’s Bill of Rights should never be surrendered, but sadly, that’s exactly what some of my colleagues who seem to not see the value of the Second Amendment are attempting to do,” Congressman Robert Aderholt said in a statement released Wednesday.
According to a press release from the House Appropriations Committee, the legislation contains $56 billion in total discretionary funding, an increase of $279 million over fiscal year 2016. The bill targets these increases to programs of national importance, such as federal law enforcement, national security, economic development, illegal drug efforts, trade enforcement, and space exploration programs.
However, like most other bills, several riders were introduced that could alter the tone of the legislation. One such amendment, introduced by Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), would increase the restrictions on gun purchases for those on the terrorism watch list. “To some, her amendment might sound like a reasonable idea; restricting those who are on the terrorist watch list from purchasing guns,” Aderholt wrote. “But like many liberal solutions, they are only skin deep.”
Both the conservative Fox News and the liberal Huffington Post agree that the terrorism watch list is not incredibly hard to get on- even accidentally. Something as simple as an anti-government social media post, visiting certain countries, having a suspicious last name, or even a clerical error could put a completely innocent person in a position to have his or her rights limited.
“My fear is that this is an attempt by Democrats to restrict gun sales to law-abiding citizens under the veil of protecting national security. Chipping away at our Second Amendment rights is no way to fight the terrorists who mean us real harm,” Adderholt said.
According to the libertarian Cato Institute, the number of names on the various lists range from an estimated 700,000 to more than a million. An estimated 47,000 names occupy the similar no-fly list championed by President Obama. The lists’ inherent structure promotes over-inclusivity. The late Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, congressman and civil rights hero John Lewis, and even members of the U.S. military and federal air marshals have all ended up on government watch lists.
The bill was approved by the committee on Tuesday, but the amendment opposed by Aderholt was not.
