U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) is pushing to allow 18-year-olds to buy handguns, just as federal law allows them to buy long guns.
Massie’s bill, H.R. 5716, is designed to ensure that Americans who are old enough to take part in so many other adult aspects of American life, such as voting and fighting for their country in uniform, are not cut off from the right to have a gun for self-defense.
Rep. Massie said:
Why should a 20-year-old single mom be denied the right to defend herself and her children? 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds are considered adults and are able to vote on important public policy issues. They can also form business contracts, get married, and serve in the military. As adults, these Americans should not be deprived of basic constitutional rights.
H.R. 5716 is titled the “Second Amendment For Every Registrable Voter Act,” or SAFER Voter Act,” for short. It would repeal the federal law that currently prohibits 18-20 year-olds from buying a handgun at retail from a federally licensed dealer.
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. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.