Cole Opposes Legislation Infringing on Second Amendment

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate Amendments to S. 2938. Cole opposed the legislation.

"While this legislation contains some worthwhile provisions with bipartisan support such as funding for school security and mental health services, the bill taken in its entirety ultimately chips away at the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding firearm owners," said Cole. "Moreover, it was crafted and passed in the Senate without any input from members of the House and then rushed to the floor of our chamber without the opportunity to properly consider or amend it. I regret that we could not identify real bicameral solutions to address the root causes of gun violence. Instead, this legislation takes the entire nation down a slippery slope that will ultimately trample on the right to bear arms that is enshrined in the Constitution."

During the bill's consideration in the House Rules Committee earlier today, Cole made extensive remarks explaining his position on the legislation. Transcript is available below.

We're here on very short notice to consider S. 2938, which passed the Senate earlier today. Unfortunately, this measure constitutes yet another attempt by the Majority to chip away at the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

It is unfortunate that this is the case because there are certainly items included in this bill that we all could support. My constituents certainly support additional money for school security, and my constituents also support providing additional funds for mental health. But this bill goes much further than that, and ultimately, what most House Republicans cannot and will not do is support additional restrictions on the Second Amendment, which is what the package before us will actually accomplish.

Again and again this Congress, we have watched the Majority try to reduce or eliminate the rights of American citizens to purchase or own firearms. Today's bill is no exception. Whether it is dressed up as a partisan bill pushed solely by Democrats or an ostensibly bipartisan bill written behind closed doors in the Senate, the end result is the same: an unwarranted, unnecessary, unconstitutional and deeply misguided intrusion into the rights of gun owners.

While Republicans are committed to identifying and solving the root causes of violent crimes, we must ensure that in doing so, we protect the rights of the 99.9 percent of gun owners who are law-abiding citizens. But in their zeal to push something, anything, on guns, the Majority is instead taking us all on the first step down a slippery slope that will ultimately trample on the right to bear arms that is enshrined in the Constitution. And I believe the House should reject this bill.

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