Dr. Bucshon’s Statement on President’s Gun Control Announcement

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Eighth District Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. released the following statement in response to the president’s plan to restrict gun ownership in the United States through executive fiat:

“This is the president’s last ditch effort to pass his ideological gun control agenda. He’s subverting the legislative branch and acting alone because he failed to pass similar measures through Congress. Despite what the President wants to believe, he can’t legislate from the White House, and the Second Amendment, or any other part of the Constitution, can’t simply be ignored.

 

“As Americans, we mourn the senseless acts of violence and commit to finding a solution. Unfortunately, the president overlooks the underlying issues when he exploits these tragedies to further his political agenda. Instead of limiting the rights of law-abiding citizens, we need to improve the way mental illness is treated, better enforce laws currently on the books, and implement a strategy to defeat radical Islamic terror.  In Congress, I am working to address these issues through landmark mental health legislation, reforms to the visa waiver program, and a pause in our country’s Syrian and Iraqi refugee programs to help prevent terrorist attacks like San Bernardino.

 

“I’m disappointed the President’s announcement today ignored these common-sense steps and I’ll continue fighting to protect Hoosiers from the disastrous consequences of this executive overreach.”