From Sen Pat Toomey Re Sen Susan Collins No Fly List Gun Control Amendment

[Berncly]

June 30, 2016

Thank you for contacting me about national firearms policy in the wake of the Orlando terrorist attack. As someone who has been a leader in sensible, bipartisan efforts to expand background checks for gun purchases and stopping terrorists from purchasing firearms, I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

On June 12, 2016, America suffered its worst terror attack since September 11th. ISIS adherent Omar Mateen opened fire in an Orlando gay nightclub, killing 49 and wounding 53 others. Sadly, this terrible massacre was not the first time that a violent Islamist extremist launched terror attacks on our homeland, and I believe that our current policies are not effective at stopping this growing threat.

To confront the serious threat of terrorism and keep the American people safe, I believe there are a number of things that Washington should do such as improving our intelligence capabilities, scaling up our military efforts against ISIS, and giving law enforcement all the tools it needs to stop terrorists. In addition, we need to pass legislation to help ensure that terrorists - including those on the "No Fly List" - are not able to lawfully buy firearms.

In the days following the Orlando massacre, I was one of the few Republican Senators who spoke on the Senate floor about the need to stop terrorists from buying guns. As in 2013, when I worked on a bipartisan bill with Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) to require background checks for all commercial gun sales (including at gun shows), I urged both sides of the aisle to find a sensible, middle ground that stops dangerous terrorists from buying firearms while also protecting the important Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.

On June 16th, I introduced my own legislation that embodied this balanced, middle ground approach: the Fighting Terrorism and Upholding Due Process Act (S.3069). My bill would give the Attorney General the flexibility to stop any terrorist from purchasing a firearm, as well as the authority to establish a court-reviewed list of suspected terrorists who would be barred from lawfully buying a gun. My proposal would provide two layers of due process: (1) meaningful judicial review to help ensure that innocent Americans are not wrongfully placed on a suspected terrorist list; and (2) for those who are still mistakenly barred from buying a gun, the ability to challenge such a decision in court (including receiving compensation for attorney's fees if the challenge is successful).

Unfortunately, on June 20th, the Senate voted on a series of partisan gun amendments that were doomed to fail. These proposals were designed to maximize partisan differences and minimize our ability to find the common ground needed to actually make progress and save lives. For instance, rather than voting on the bipartisan Manchin-Toomey proposal, the Senate voted on a partisan, extreme background check proposal from Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) that both Senator Manchin and I opposed. The Senate also voted on an anti-terrorism gun proposal from Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that also failed to pass last year since it had no meaningful due process for innocent Americans who are mistakenly placed on a suspected terrorist list - and we know that such mistakes by the federal government do happen.

Tired of the political games and bickering, I was encouraged that some of my Senate colleagues decided to work across the aisle on a balanced approach at stopping terrorists from buying guns. Led by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), this bipartisan group agreed on a middle ground approach to stopping terrorists - including those on the "No-Fly List" --from buying guns and unveiled their proposal the day after the failed partisan votes on June 20th. Unlike the Feinstein proposal, the Collins measure included meaningful due process so that those mistakenly placed on a terrorist list and barred from buying a gun could challenge this decision in court. The legislation was cosponsored by both Republican and Democratic Senators, and I appreciated that some of my suggestions were also included in the proposal.

On June 23rd, the Senate voted on the Collins measure, and I joined 51 of my colleagues in voting in favor of it. I believe this sensible gun proposal gives the Attorney General a valuable new tool to fight terrorism while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. The vote was procedural, so the proposal has not yet been passed by the Senate. In the meantime, I hope that more of my colleagues will be willing to support Senator Collins's bipartisan legislation so it can be enacted into law to help keep communities in Pennsylvania and across the country safe.

Thank you again for your correspondence. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Pat Toomey
U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania

[STBear]

Senator Collins, another libtard dingbat that got elected as a Republican. Seem all we get out of the middle of the road Toomey is reaching across the aisle and jerking of the dems while the people that elected him get screwed. It's a shame that we don't have a better choice than two faced Toomey.

[HKusp 45]

Oh shit I got that one too fuck Toomey he is a funny fucker hey lets disregard due process and make people have to work to get off the no fly list. This thing is a fucking joke I haven't finished my response to his aides yet .......but it's coming oh is it and for good measure I'm going to call too just so they know(not that they actually care but it makes me feel better)

[McSull]

Expanding background checks to keep terrorists from getting guns? They are passing background checks asshole. Pat Toomey is lying shitbag. Go to hell Toomey, you lying shitbag traitor.

[Justin2012]

Pat Toomey is one of the dumbest politicians that I've ever seen. He doesn't understand that no matter how much he tries to pander to the left, they're never ever going to vote for him. He thinks it's a good idea to betray his base, and alienate us all in the hopes that he will win over a non-existent handful of democrats voters.

[ungawa]

Pat Toomey is one of the dumbest politicians that I've ever seen. He doesn't understand that no matter how much he tries to pander to the left, they're never ever going to vote for him. He thinks it's a good idea to betray his base, and alienate us all in the hopes that he will win over a non-existent handful of democrats voters.

Not only is he stupid, he also does not listen to his constituents. He tells us we are too stupid to understand how good this will be for us and we simply don't listen to him explaining it. Meanwhile, thousands of people call him and/or visit his offices and explain our problems with this nonsense and he doesn't listen or even acknowledge it.

[Brick]

Gee I guess I'm lucky after calling his original proposal MERDE he didn't bother sending me any more of his shit.

[Iron Sights]

I received the same response that Berncly received after I contacted Senator Toomey using his web-site. Since it did not address the issues of enforcing existing laws and a National concealed carry reciprocity agreement, I sent another e-mail again specifically addressing these issues. Within a few hours I received another correspondence from Mr. Toomay. While he still didn't address enforcing existing laws instead of enacting new ones, he did address the National concealed carry reciprocity agreement. See below.

July 5, 2016

Dear ,

Thank you for contacting me about gun control and the Second Amendment. I appreciate hearing from you.

Like many Pennsylvanians, I have long been a supporter of Second Amendment rights. They are of fundamental importance to our nation, and I believe that Americans have a personal, constitutional right to self-protection and to engage in recreational activities involving firearms. In fact, during my previous tenure in the House of Representatives (1999-2005), my record of supporting gun owners' rights earned me an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association.*

Like you, I strongly support concealed carry reciprocity. I am therefore proud to be an original cosponsor of the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2015 (S. 498). Among its provisions, S. 498 would require states to honor concealed weapons permits issued by another state unless they prohibit the carrying of a concealed firearm. Introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) on February 12, 2015, S. 498 is currently pending before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for review. While I am not a member of this panel, please be assured that I will keep your views about concealed carry reciprocity legislation in mind as S. 498 or any other related legislation progresses through the legislative process.

Thank you again for your correspondence. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,
*

Pat Toomey
U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania

[tarzan]

I wrote this to Toomey.



Dear Senator Toomey, please read an American history book and find out about why we have the Second Amendment.
Then get yourself a realty book for somewhere in California because you do not fit in with Pennsylvania and it is very clear that you will not be a Senator here after this term.
On a good note though, you will fit right in with Feinstein and the gang. Sincerely.