U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly introduced an amendment to block the DoD from using taxpayer dollars to promote the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty.
Last week, Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) called on President Trump to pull U.S. support for the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) signed by the Obama Administration in 2013.
You’re probably thinking to yourself, Man, I thought this thing was killed a long time ago because the Senate never ratified the treaty? What’s going on?
The ATT is not dead, unfortunately. This effort to globalize gun control is like an infectious disease lurking below the surface. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. And unless it’s treated, an outbreak is imminent.
The only way to officially kill the ATT is to have a president formally withdraw from it. Until that happens, the best thing pro-gun lawmakers can do is ban the Department of Defense from using taxpayer dollars to promote the ATT. That is precisely what Rep. Kelly did with his amendment to H.R. 2810, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
SEE ALSO: Obama Sends Signed U.N. Arms Trade Treaty to Senate for Approval
Kelly’s amendment blocks the DoD from priming the pumps for the ATT for FY 2018. His amendment was passed unanimously by the House. But that ban is only good for one year, which means it needs to be renewed annually.
“Congress has stood strong for the past six years on this issue,” said Kelly. “Together we were successful at stopping the Obama administration from ever implementing this treaty or using hardworking American taxpayer dollars to promote it.”
“Nevertheless, our work is not over. One of former President Obama’s parting shots as he left office was to submit the ATT to our colleagues in the Senate for ratification — even though he knew it was dead on arrival.
“Regardless of who is seated in the Oval Office, renewing this ban is important because no presidency is permanent,” added Kelly. “A future administration may well try even harder to put this treaty into effect.”
Kelly said he hopes that the Senate follows the House’s lead and approves the NDAA with the amendment so President Trump can sign it into law. Beyond that, he also urged the president to put the final nail in the coffin of the ATT.
“Therefore, in addition to supporting this amendment, I strongly urge President Trump and Secretary Tillerson to take the final step and officially withdraw the United States from the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty once and for all,” said Kelly. “It’s time to tear it up!”
Hopefully, Trump gets the message. Among the items high on the gun community’s wish list — national CCW reciprocity, deregulation of suppressors, killing the ATT — this is one that doesn’t require a bill from Congress.
The UN is not our friends, the countries do not pay their fair share and get the USA into wars, such as Korea and Veir Nam, all they d is bitch about the US but who do you thinks pays for their building i NYC the taxes, utilities and upkeep our tax dollars get of out of the UN kick them out of their free housing and office building in NYC use the money to pay off our national debt
JG
Get out of the UN. All we do is give them money to screw us. And move their headquarters out also.
get us out of the UN nnd kick them out of the NYC building and sell it and put the towards our national debt
Ridiculous that the claim is that this “rejection” has to be renewed annually. This “treaty” was never ratified by the Senate so there is nothing that could cause the repetitive “renewal.” The fact that Osama bin Obama signed it means absolutely nothing.
As far as I am concerned, they can tear up the Useless Nations period. They are useless.
While they are at it, overturn ITAR. It’s onerous and has hurt firearms accessory sales abroad. And overturn the ammunition import bans like the 7N6 ban
Tearing up the ATT needs to be done, quickly.
Remove the US from UN membership while you’re at it.
No, as a Super Power in the UN, we can block them from any action. That isn’t a power to give up willingly.
We have less influence in the UN than you think. Such shining examples of freedom and human rights as Yemen and Venezuela can block and censure us, and get the US labeled as an oppressor and human rights violator.