Following the December 2 San Bernardino shooting in California, President Barrack Obama urged U.S. congressional delegates to pass legislation preventing individuals on the White House’s no-fly list from buying guns.
Pres. Obama: “Congress should act to make sure no one on a no fly list is able to buy a gun. What could possibly be the argument to allow a terror suspect to buy a semi-automatic weapon?”
While Obama and Democrats frame the act of denying weapons to potential terrorists as a ‘no-brainer’, Republicans have so far voted down the proposal.
The GOP argues that such legislation would unintentionally harm the Second Amendment rights of everyday Americans since many individuals do not know they are listed on the confidential no-fly list.
Last Thursday a state governor took the issue into his own hands: Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy announced he plans to sign an executive order enacting the ban of gun sales to individuals on the government watch list. Many are questioning the legality of that action but the governor says he will work with the White House for access to that list.
New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senator Charles Schumer are also pushing Congress to ban people on the terror watch list from buying guns.
