April 17, 2013

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) released the following statement today on his amendment votes to gun-control legislation currently before the Senate:

“Many efforts were made today to address gun violence, but a majority of the restrictions presented were all predicated on one assumption that some how we think that the criminal element will single out this one law to comply with," said Inhofe. "Instead amendments such as the one to ban assault weapons and another to expanded the gun background check system would have only further restricted firearms for law-abiding Oklahomans. We can and should reduce violent crime in our nation, and we can do so without compromising our constitutional rights. This is why I cosponsored and voted for a common-sense substitute amendment that would have placed the focus on enforcing current firearm laws, addressing mental health illness in our nation, and providing adequate resources to prosecute criminals and prevent them from attaining guns.

"We have a historic privilege in the United States to exercise our right to keep and bear arms. As my liberal friends continue this battle on into next week, I will also continue the fight to prevent passage of any legislation that relinquishes citizens' Second Amendment rights."

Inhofe cosponsored a substitute amendment introduced by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that would reduce and prosecute gun violence without infringing on constitutional rights. The amendment would improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, increase federal prosecutions of gun violence, criminalize straw purchasing of firearms and gun trafficking, protect veterans’ Second Amendment rights, address mental health issues as they relate to crime, and address school safety programs. The amendment failed to pass by a vote of 52-48.

###