Senate Judiciary Republicans Push to Make Bruen Law of the Land

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are pushing the codification of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 23, 2022, NYSRPA v. Bruen decision.

The goal is to ensure that Americans’ right to be armed outside the home for self-defense is the law of the land.

Breitbart News reported that the Bruen decision struck down New York’s proper cause requirement for concealed carry permit issuance and made clear Americans possess a right to carry a gun outside the home for self-defense.

In the majority opinion for Bruen, Justice Clarence Thomas pointed to District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) and McDonald v. Chicago (2010), noting in those cases SCOTUS “recognized that the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect the right of an ordinary, law-abiding citizen to possess a handgun in the home for self-defense.”

He then turned his attention to Bruen, saying, “In this case, petitioners and respondents agree that ordinary, law-abiding citizens have a similar right to carry handguns publicly for their self-defense.”

Thomas added, “We too agree, and now hold, consistent with Heller and McDonald, that the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home.”

The Judiciary Committee published comments from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and others, supporting the effort to secure law reflecting the Bruen decision.

Sen. Grassley said, “It’s important that we continue to protect the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans through legislation like this. Our history and Constitution are clear. Americans have the right to bear arms. This bill will codify and strengthen many of the court decisions from recent years affirming that right.”

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), said, “Congress has the ability to use its authority to guard against state overreach—and that is what this bill does. At a time when the constitutional right to keep and bear arms is under attack in courtrooms throughout America, we must ensure that the Supreme Court’s decision about the Second Amendment is not only legal precedent but that the law preserves it forever.”

The codification sought by Judiciary Committee Republicans would also “[enable] courts to strike down state and local gun control laws when they conflict with federal law.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. AWR Hawkins holds a Ph.D. in Military History, with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.