Senator Mike Lee To Offer Amendment Tonight To Ban Most Gun Control

by Tim Brown

In the midst of the budget debate in the Senate, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has several amendments he will be bringing to the floor as part of the budget resolution. One of them would almost practically eliminate gun control legislation.

“I am glad we all have this opportunity to introduce amendments that reflect the concerns and priorities of our constituents,” said Lee. “I look forward to staying as long as necessary to ensure that each senator can participate in this process, and I hope the Senate can become a body where this kind of debate happens more frequently.”

In speaking with Senator Lee’s office, I was informed that this amendment has not yet been finalized and thus the public does not know the exact wording of it. However, his office did confirm that it is in the works and should be ready for this evening’s introduction.

Gun Owners of America alerted its members that “later tonight, Senator Mike Lee of Utah intends to offer an amendment to the budget resolution that would prohibit any gun control legislation which does not have a 2/3 vote in the Senate.”

“We know, we know,” continued the alert email, “We would prefer to prohibit any and all gun control, even if it had 100 votes. But if the Lee amendment is passed, the practical effect will be that gun control can never again pass the Senate.”

The Senator also currently has seven other amendments he intends to introduce. Among them is whether or not the Senate should adopt a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution and have the states ratify it. See how Freedom Outpost’s Publius Huldah breaks that down here.

Among the other amendments Lee intends to introduce are:

• Amendment #443: An amendment to establish reasonable deadlines for processes under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
• Amendment #444: An amendment to eliminate funding to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the listing, management, and enforcement of regulations relating to the Greater and Gunnison Sage Grouse.
• Amendment #445: An amendment to eliminate funding to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the management and enforcement of regulations related to the Utah Prairie Dog.
• Amendment #521: An Amendment to ensure funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program is at least roughly equivalent to the actual lost property tax revenues due to the presence of federal land.
• Amendment #252: The DC Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection amendment expresses that it is the sense of the senate that there is substantial medical evidence that unborn children experience pain by at least 20 weeks after fertilization.
• Amendment 253: An Amendment to remove the per-country caps for employment-based green cards, allowing companies to recruit, hire, and retain the best and brightest the world has to offer.

Citizens are being encourage to contact their Senators to encourage passage of the amendment involving gun legislation as it is a step in the right direction. You can do so by sending an email here or calling the Senate at 202-224-3121.