Vet Gun Control Update 03:

[Guest TnRebel]

Vet Gun Control Update 03: The House Veterans Affairs Committee on 15 SEP approved H.R.2547, authored by rep. Jim Moran (D-VA-8) in May 2009, to protect the Second Amendment rights of veterans. The bill would change the Veteran Affair‘s current practice of revoking the gun rights of veterans and their families if they receive assistance in managing their finances. ―I introduced this legislation to make sure veterans are not unfairly denied the rights they fought so bravely to defend,‖ Moran said. ―It is wrong to take away veterans‘ gun rights simply because they cannot manage their finances.‖ The VA‘s current practice labels veterans who have a fiduciary appointed to act on their behalf financially are labeled ―mentally defective‖ and are reported to the FBI‘s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Being listed on the NICS prevents veterans from owning or purchasing a firearm. According to Moran‘s office, since 1998, more than 117,000 veterans and members of veterans‘ families have been reported to the NICS because they have a fiduciary appointed on their behalf. The legislation was approved as an amendment to a veteran benefits measure. The bill is supported by the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America. Similar legislation was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC). That bill introduced in MAR 09 (S.669) with 18 co-sponsors, would prohibit VA from submitting names to the National Instant Criminal Background Check database unless a judicial authority finds the individuals to be a danger to themselves or others. [source: The McPherson Sentinel article 16 Sep 2010 ++]