Rep. John Katko: Congress Should Take Action on Comprehensive Legislation to Keep Guns Out of The Hands of Terrorists

Press Release

U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24) released the following statement on the failure of the U.S. House of Representatives to take up H.R. 5611, the Homeland Safety and Security Act, legislation aimed at bolstering anti-terrorism efforts and keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists.

"This has been an important week. Congress will be sending legislation I offered to President on opioids and homeland security reforms. However, it's time for Congress to take action to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists. It's unfortunate that partisan intransigence on both sides of the aisle kept a workable solution from getting a vote in the House of Representatives this week, but I remain hopeful that common sense will prevail and this bill will get the consideration it deserves. I will continue to urge my colleagues -- both Democrat and Republican -- to take action on this issue."

Representative Katko was an early co-sponsor of the Protect America Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (NY-1) to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists. Provisions in the Zeldin bill are included in the Homeland Safety and Security Act, which, in addition to instituting a ban on the purchase of weapons by suspected terrorists, strengthens programs to counter violent extremism and reforms passport issuance and revocation procedures to make it easier to deny the benefits of a passport to suspected terrorists.

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