| With guns at the forefront of a debate on the Senate floor, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand used her time to discuss why she opposed the much-talked about Thune Amendment.
The Thune Amendment, which Sen. John Thune (R-SD) tried to slip into the defense spending bill, would have allowed individuals who are licensed to carry concealed weapons to carry those same weapons in other states that allow for the possession of such weapons.
The amendment came close to passing, with 58 senators voting for the amendment, including a number of Democrats. However, the 39 senators who voted against the amendment kept it from passing. Among those 39 were both of New York's senators - Gillibrand and Sen. Chuck Schumer.
You can watch Sen. Gillibrand deliver her remarks on the Senate floor. Gillibrand also issued a statement praising the rejection of the amendment.
"Over the last several days I have been urging my colleagues to oppose this harmful measure and side in favor of law enforcement and state's rights.
"It is simply wrong for the federal government to overrule a state's ability to enact reasonable, constitutional gun laws designed to prevent criminals and other violent and dangerous persons from carrying guns in city streets.
"This legislation would have posed a serious public safety risk to New York and states around the country, and I am pleased that our colleagues have taken the right course and voted to defeat this amendment."
What this amendment intended to do, while being touted as pro-gun legislation, was very anti-state and anti-Constitution. It is one thing to provide your citizens with the right to bear arms. It is another to tell states that they must allow those who are licensed to carry concealed weapons in their state even if that particular state didn't license the individual. Keep in mind that some states gun registration rules are stricter than others. So such an amendment would have taken a lot away from the states.
Sen. Gillibrand (and Sen. Schumer) made the argument against the amendment. This amendment, despite its bi-partisan support, should not have been passed. It is good to see both of our senators on the right side of the issue. |
