Republican lawmakers are fighting a Department of Veterans Affairs policy that could rescind the Second Amendment rights of over a quarter-million former service members. Currently, if the VA appoints a fiduciary for someone having trouble managing his or her finances, they are judged “mentally incompetent” and submitted to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). These individuals will then be flagged during NICS checks, and will be denied the right to purchase a firearm.
In response, two GOP lawmakers—Sen. Chuck Grassley and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson—have written a letter to VA Secretary Robert McDonald criticizing this policy. In another letter, this time to Senate appropriators, Grassley asked lawmakers to use upcoming budget negotiations to block the VA from continuing this practice.
While the VA claims they’re required to report “mentally incompetent” veterans, one has to wonder what being unable to balance a checkbook has to do with a constitutional right.
