On Tuesday, the House gave a voice vote in support of Rep. Ken Buck’s (R-Colo.) amendment to the Justice Department’s annual spending bill which would ensure that people prohibited from buying guns can apply for a restoration status.
According to the Hill, the law currently on the books permits people who cannot legally purchase firearms to petition their local district court.
However, there is currently a road block for them to restore their Second Amendment rights, as legislative riders effective since 1992 prevent the Justice Department from processing these applications.
Buck argued Tuesday that an individual’s past shouldn’t bar them from gun ownership for life.
“America is a land of second chances,” Buck said. “One mistake should not define your future. A law-abiding, 45-year-old dad who made one mistake at 18 should have the choice of how best to protect his family or to take his kids hunting. He should have the chance to make a petition to restore his constitutional right to bear arms. This solution is long overdue. This bill does not intend in any way, shape, or form to allow a violent criminal to possess a firearm.”
During the House floor debate, no one spoke in opposition nor forced a roll call vote.
