Senate Introduces Companion Bill to Protect Second Amendment Rights of Military Families

Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) introduced companion legislation in the Senate this week to protect the Second Amendment rights of spouses of military members. The Protect Our Military Families’ 2nd Amendment Rights Act allows spouses of active duty service members to purchase firearms in the state where they live due to military orders.

Currently, the Gun Control Act of 1968 mandates that citizens can legally only purchase a handgun in the state where they are considered residents. Exceptions were made for active duty military members but not their spouses. In many cases, spouses reside in the state where their active duty spouse has orders, but are barred from purchasing firearms in that state because their driver license is issued in their “home state” or they don’t have another state-issued identification card in the state their spouse is stationed in.

Our military spouses give up a great deal to support their active duty service member, often moving far from home and far from family to be with their spouse. Military spouses should not be denied their Second Amendment rights based on the orders of the military member. They have the right to defend themselves and their families just like anyone else.

“Our military personnel and their families make incredible sacrifices to keep our country safe; allowing them to keep their families safe is the least we can do,” said Sen. Rounds. “Our legislation makes certain that the Second Amendment rights of military spouses are protected when they are stationed away from home.”

“Our military families shouldn’t have to compromise their Second Amendment rights when their loved ones answer the call to serve,” said Sen. Thune. “They undertake significant burdens, like manning the home front during deployments, taking new jobs, frequent moves, and placing kids in new schools, but personal safety and security should never be among the sacrifices made by those who protect our rights and freedoms. The least we can do for our military families is to provide them with the opportunity for the protection they deserve.”

More on the bill:

The bill will give spouses the ability to purchase handguns in the state where their husband or wife is permanently stationed for duty, or in the surrounding state if the military spouse commutes across state borders to their duty station.