[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 113 (Tuesday, July 26, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H5501-H5502]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE SMALL ARMS TREATY
(Mr. POMPEO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Mr. POMPEO. Mr. Speaker, over the past 1\1/2\ years, we've seen this
President take away a lot of our freedoms with big spending and a big
health care plan. I want to talk about another risk to American freedom
today, and that is the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, also known as
the Small Arms Treaty.
I'm profoundly disappointed, but, frankly, not surprised, that this
administration is joining the United Nations in crafting this dangerous
treaty designed to curtail our Second Amendment rights.
Parties in the negotiations about the treaty are talking about
banning civilian possession of firearms, decreasing the ability for
trade in firearms, and heavily restricting the rights of Americans to
carry their firearms. Each one of these directives, if implemented,
would clearly violate individual rights as ensconced in our
Constitution.
The Senate should not ratify this treaty. We must never turn our
national sovereignty over to anyone, most especially the United
Nations.
[[Page H5502]]
As a former soldier who dearly loves his M250 caliber machine gun and
loves his firearms as a civilian as well, I know that we have that
right. We've got to stand up and protect it, and I urge my colleagues
in the Senate not to ratify this treaty.
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