The Hill is reporting that the U.S. Senate voted on and passed an amendment to the budget bill that would keep the U.S. from signing onto the UN arms trade treaty. Many have been concerned that the treaty, which does not differentiate between military and civilian firearms, would be used as a back door to enact sweeping gun control regulations in the United States. With the passage of this amendment (by a vote of 53 – 46) it signifies that ratifying such a treaty would be impossible with the current Senate. A Democrat also offered an amendment that clarifies that the U.S. constitution trumps all treaties, which was passed as well.
I could say some mean things to the antis right now, particularly about forming an oral vaccum around a phalic appendage. Instead, Im just going to enjoy this moment in peace.
Finally some good news! We should take note of the 46 that voted Nay and remember them when they are up for re-election. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00091
thanks leo, posted to my page
All the Nay votes save two from independents, were, you guessed it, Democrats.
All 46 were democrats by my count.
I see two democratic senators from Washington State that apparently do not believe in the U.S. Constitution. Murray is up for reelection in 2014 I believe. Come on Washington, let’s purge a plague.
As expected, both liberals in MA voted nay to this. I hope other MA residents here are with me in voting both of them out of office when election comes.
Thanks Leo. Magpul – This is an excellent list to use as a guide for ruling out which states to move to.
Thanks, Leo.
TTAG fellas:
The NRA is under fire fro Newtown for robocalls and postcards. Yep.
http://wr2a.wordpress.com/2013/03/23/nra-under-fire-for-newtown-robocall-bethelpatch/
Things in CT are interesting, I’m tellin’ ya.
Just to be clear, the Constitution has always trumped treaties.
Very true! Well said!
Thank you for posting this. I was about to say the same.
Bravo, Skyler.
The sad thing is, 46 of our Senators do not understand that.
I would have like to see a lot more disparity in th vote. It was close enough that I think we may see them try this again down the road.
Well, considering they voted in an amendment saying the Constitution trumps all treaties that particular route is denied in the future. They would have to repeal that, then vote in the treaty between hellacious flack from people supporting the second amendment.
The President has to sign the bill before that can happen. And it has to be added to the House bill in conference. There is a long way to go before this becomes more than a gesture.
Heh, I bet they did this to try and give their budget a better chance of passage in the House. This won’t go anywhere. The Senate budget is DOA in the House because its larded up with 1.5 trillion in tax increases and a 65% increase on spending.
Didn’t have to put the amendment about the constitution. Ried vs Covern in the 50’s rule that no foreign treaty gives the government powers/ abilities not given or allowed by the constitution.
The problem is that our gun laws are, generally speaking, less restrictive than what the 2nd Amendment is likely to be ruled to allow. Gun owner licensing, gun registration, and ammunition controls are unlikely to ever be ruled to violate the 2nd Amendment. As long as such licensing and registration schemes are “shall issue”, it will be claimed that the 2nd Amendment is upheld, even when the licensing procedures are fairly cumbersome.
So, it’s best for the US not to sign and surely not to ratify such a treaty. Otherwise, watch Mexico demand national gun registration in the US as the US courts rule that gun registration is perfectly constitutional.
I want to know which assholes, if any, voted against the Constitution supremacy amendment.
HOLD THE PHONE! You mean to tell me something GOOD happened today in the hallowed halls of DC?
WHOA! Who’s drinking to this with me?
A freakin’ amazing!
Daniel I’m with you. I’m deadly serious: we have to vote these oath breakers out of office!
Sick that this vote ended up being so close. The senators from my state(Mass) both voted for it…what a shock.
Now I can see why a AWB wont pass if the GOP and NRA can get a UN veto in the chamber. Keep the pressure up readers.
Is it so wrong to wish for the united states to be a bit weary of other countries? The united states possesses vast quantities of natural resources, just about all but tritium and diamonds. I’m referring to those diamonds meant for manufacturing use, of course. I pray cut diamonds die as a status symbol. and wait … Tritium hmm i do seem to recall a cave in eastern-central America with a large discovery. going all out off-topic, but doesn’t the tritium lamp on my acog kinda work like a xenon lamp bulb? but with the radiation from the tritium supplying the power to excite the gasses?
::You have gained a skill point in rambling (83)!::
Just shows that when it comes to guns its not as simple as democrat vs republican. many democrats are also pro 2A. it becomes the matter of stupidity and belief in control over citizens.
Both Colorado senators voted nay. Udall is up for reelection I believe. With all the crap going on in Colorado, how these two senators voted nay doesn’t surprise me. We are now the no. 1 s—state in the union.
Ya know B.O. will veto this if it gets to him, and the given ratio in the Senate won’t be enough to override it. We need to convince those who opposed it that if they continue to do so, they will be renting a U-Haul as soon as voting is over.