This is the reply I received from Sen Bob Casey of PA after sending the GOA call to action email. I seriously hope he gets the BOOT in 2022. It’s so easy today for a pissed off significant other to make a fictional claim of abuse and BAM .. there goes your 2A rights and now you have pay a lawyer to convince a judge of your innocence. Also the other bills he mentions below that he has cosponsored. Makes me want to puke!!


Thank you for taking the time to contact me about provisions relating to the regulation of firearms in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue.

The annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes policy and annual expenditures for the Department of Defense (DOD) and national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE). This bill represents a crucial investment in national security which, along with the international affairs budget, gives our soldiers, diplomats and civil servants the necessary tools to keep America safe. The NDAA also includes vital investments in defense technology, healthcare research, benefits for wounded service members and environmental remediation.

H.R. 6395, the House version of the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2021, was introduced on March 26, 2020. This legislation includes a provision in Section 542 allowing military court judges and magistrates to issue protective orders to ensure the safety of victims of sexual assault or domestic violence offenses. Under this provision, military personnel who have committed such offenses and are subject to protective orders would be prohibited from purchasing, receiving or otherwise accessing a firearm. Protective orders may be issued after both parties have had a chance to be heard by the court and may remain in place for thirty days. However, emergency orders may also be issued ex parte, or solely on behalf of a single party, such as a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. If an emergency order is issued on an ex parte basis, the respondent must receive notice and an opportunity to be heard within a reasonable period of time after the order is issued.

I have heard from many constituents about Section 542 in the NDAA. Under current law, all individuals, including law enforcement and military personnel who have permanent, court-issued protective orders against them, or who have misdemeanor or felony convictions of domestic violence, are barred from owning a firearm only if the victim and offender are married, were formerly married, live together or share a child. The proposed House NDAA would expand this firearm prohibition to temporary protective orders against military personnel and would include military personnel convicted of domestic violence offenses against a spouse, intimate partner or immediate family member. I support these provisions, as studies have demonstrated that access to firearms by individuals subject to protective orders dramatically increases the risk of domestic violence-related homicide, especially in the first month after a temporary protective order is issued. I am also a cosponsor of similar legislation in the Senate, including S. 120, the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act and S. 4443, the Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act, which would enact similar restrictions in civilian courts.

Additionally, I am a cosponsor of S. 1789, the Military Justice Improvement Act, introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York on June 11, 2019. This bill would empower independent military prosecutors to convene courts-martial for sexual assault cases and other serious crimes. Currently this power rests within the military chain of command, which leaves victims of sexual assault at the mercy of a system heavily biased against them. I believe this bill, in addition to Section 542 of the House NDAA, would provide a more comprehensive approach to addressing issues of sexual assault and domestic violence in the military.

Our servicemembers sign up to serve our country and represent the best of American values and morality. While I respect their second amendment rights, we must ensure that the few bad actors who commit domestic violence are denied mechanisms to further abuse including restrictions on access to firearms. I also believe we need commonsense gun legislation that will help to prevent tragic mass shootings, as well as the daily gun violence that takes the lives of approximately 40,000 Americans each year. As a public official, I believe my colleagues and I have an obligation to enact commonsense reforms that will keep Americans safe and reduce the likelihood of gun violence incidents. Among these commonsense measures, I support legislation to implement universal background checks, ensure the safe storage of firearms, prohibit the use of assault weapons and establish risk protection orders to prevent those who pose safety risks to themselves or others from possessing firearms. We are a Nation of people who come together, roll up our sleeves and solve difficult problems. We can pass smart measures to reduce gun violence while fully respecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

H.R. 6395, the House NDAA for Fiscal Year 2021, passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 295 - 125, and was sent to the Senate for consideration. Please be assured that I will keep your views in mind as the Senate considers the NDAA and any legislation affecting firearm regulation.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you.

For more information on this or other issues, I encourage you to visit my website, http://casey.senate.gov. I hope you will find this online office a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.

Sincerely,
Bob Casey
United States Senator

Casey is a worthless POS who has been living off his father's name his entire political career.