Let's Not Restrict Americans' Freedoms

Floor Speech

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Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, here in this Chamber, I have pledged to support and defend the United States Constitution in its entirety. The Second Amendment is a key tenet of the U.S. Constitution and Americans' inalienable rights.

The right to keep and bear arms is a basic freedom that was enshrined in law by the Framers of our Constitution, the leaders who overcame tyranny to form a representative government of, by, and for the people. More than two centuries later, their extraordinary vision for our country still endures.

In Congress, it is our job to uphold the Constitution and to protect Americans' fundamental rights. Yet, this week, the House will consider radical legislation that would encroach on citizens' freedoms while doing so little to prevent mass shootings or illicit violence. If enacted, both H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 would impose restrictive background checks and unnecessarily burden law-abiding gun owners.

Thanks to the work of the previous administration and Republicans in Congress, our Nation already has safeguards in place to prevent wrongdoers from acquiring firearms. Rather than impose new restrictions, we should work together to ensure that the current laws on the books are enforced.

Instead of attempting to defund the police, we should equip our law enforcement officers with the necessary resources and training that they need to identify and respond to threats. Rather than make criminals out of law-abiding citizens, we should increase penalties for those who break the law. These are commonsense steps that would save lives and protect constitutional rights of citizens in my home State of Pennsylvania and across our country.

In recent months, I have heard from hundreds of Pennsylvanians who are concerned by the mounting attacks on the Second Amendment. I share these concerns, and I will continue to oppose any attempts to restrict Americans' lawful gun rights. Unfortunately, the majority is set on restricting Americans' personal freedoms and propelling an extreme agenda. This playbook is not the answer.

Right now, Congress should be focused on crushing the pandemic, getting Americans back to work, allowing our kids to safely return to the classroom. Instead of attacking Americans' constitutional rights, we could be making real progress on accelerating vaccine production, rebuilding our economy, and restoring our American way of life.

As we consider H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 this week, I urge all of my colleagues to reject this challenge to our Constitution, to uphold Americans' intrinsic freedoms, and return this body to good-faith legislating that drives results for all of the American people.

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