Secretary of State John Kerry signs U.N. arms treaty

Press Release

Wyoming Senators say Senate won't give up 2nd Amendment rights

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry signed a controversial United Nations (U.N.) arms treaty today despite bipartisan opposition. U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, both R-Wyo, who have long opposed the treaty, said Kerry's acceptance of the document is symbolic of an Administration that has very little respect for the Second Amendment rights of Americans or American sovereignty. They believe the treaty is well short of the two-thirds vote in the Senate that would be needed for the treaty to be ratified.

"This Administration does not want you to be able to exercise your Second Amendment rights and it will do just about anything within or now outside our borders to restrict your freedom," said Enzi. "Even though there aren't enough votes in the Senate now to ratify and implement it, we have to be on guard against the Administration seeking to use the treaty to further its gun control agenda. This Administration is consistent in its foreign policy--give up control to other countries and put our country at a disadvantage. I'm hopeful that even some members of the majority party in the Senate won't be able to stomach this. I know the people of Wyoming won't."

"Across Wyoming each day, people responsibly use their Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. The last thing law-abiding citizens need is for the United Nations to try to threaten their rights to protect their homes and families," said Barrasso. "This treaty is irresponsible and dead on arrival. Senator Enzi and I are going to do everything possible to make sure it is never ratified by the Senate."

The United Nations opened up the Arms Trade Treaty for signature in June. In March, Enzi, Barrasso and other senators passed a bipartisan resolution against the U.N.'s treaty.

In addition to Second Amendment concerns, there are concerns that the U.N. arms treaty could impede U.S. arms transfers to its allies, restrict the U.S.'s ability to conduct its foreign policy by allowing other countries to use controls in the treaty, exploit the vagueness of the treaty to put the U.S. at a disadvantage and transfer authority to an international bureaucracy not accountable to U.S. citizens.

Enzi and Barrasso said the Second Amendment was put in place to guarantee Americans a vital freedom--the right to keep and bear arms. Wyoming gun owners have made it clear that their rights are not up for negotiation with the United Nations. The senators have opposed this treaty since it was first proposed and will continue to stand up for citizens' rights and fight to ensure this treaty is dead on arrival in the Senate.

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