WASHINGTON – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today introduced the Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act, which would prevent veterans from losing their Second Amendment right to purchase or own firearms when they receive help managing their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits.

“Every veteran who bravely serves our country has earned VA benefits, and it’s wrong for the government to punish veterans who get a helping hand to manage those benefits. Veterans who sacrificed to defend our Constitution shouldn’t see their own rights rest on the judgment of unelected bureaucrats—but right now, they do. The Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act would prevent government workers from unduly stripping veterans of their right to bear arms,” said Kennedy.

“Veterans should not have to choose between seeking help from the VA to manage their benefits and forfeiting their Second Amendment rights. Our nation’s policies should encourage veterans to utilize the services provided by the VA, rather than driving them away by denying them their due process,” said Moran.

Under current law, the VA is required to send a beneficiary’s name to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) whenever a fiduciary is appointed to help a beneficiary manage his or her VA benefits.

Ultimately, VA employees decide whether veterans receive help from a fiduciary.

Kennedy’s bill would prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from transmitting a veteran’s personal information to NICS unless a relevant judicial authority rules that the beneficiary is a danger to himself or others.

Sens. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) also co-sponsored the legislation.

The bill text is available here.