Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. released a statement today regarding the Sportsmen’s bill (S. 3525), specifically an amendment to protect veterans’ gun rights, which were blocked by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).  

“I’m disappointed Senator Reid once again refused to allow Senators to offer amendments.  One amendment I filed – the Veterans’ Second Amendment Protection Act – would have prevented our nation’s veterans from being denied due process before having a fundamental Constitutional right taken away when they attempt to purchase a firearm. 

"Specifically, my amendment would have required all veterans who are considered mentally incompetent for purposes of assigning benefit payments, not be considered ‘adjudicated as a mental defective’, and thus losing their Second Amendment rights, unless they have been found by a judicial authority to be a danger to themselves or to others.  Instead of working with his colleagues to correct this overly-broad and unjust regulation, Reid has blocked a vote on this common sense solution.   The American people, and our veterans who have risked their lives for this country, deserve better,” Dr. Coburn said.  

For more information on amendments, click here.

Specifically Dr. Coburn filed the following amendments to S. 3525, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012.

Coburn amendment #2914– This amendment would require all veterans who are considered mentally incompetent for purposes of assigning benefit payments, not be considered “adjudicated as a mental defective” unless they have been found by a judicial authority to be a danger to themselves or to others. Additional background,here.

Coburn amendment #2915 – This amendment would prioritize federal funds by directing half of the receipts from land sales through FLTFA towards deficit reduction and half towards fixing crumbling structures and roads on federal lands. Additional background, here.

Coburn amendment #2916 –This amendment would strike the mandate that 75 percent of funds from the Neotropical Migratory Bird Program are expended on projects located outside of the United States. Additional background, here.

Coburn amendment #2917 – This amendment would strike the section codifying the duplicative National Fish Habitat Conservation Fund. Additional background, here.

Coburn amendment #2918 – This amendment would protect the 2nd Amendment rights of individuals on lands managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Additional background, here.