Washington, D.C.- Secretary of State John Kerry said this week the Obama Administration plans to sign a controversial United Nations (U.N.) arms treaty despite bipartisan opposition. Jay Carney, White House Press Secretary, signaled that President Obama will wait until August when members of Congress are back in their states during a home work period to sign the treaty. U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo, said that the Administration’s tactics are an attempt to lessen the public backlash to the treaty that Enzi believes threatens the Constitutional right of U.S. citizens to keep and bear arms.
“The U.N. arms treaty is an attempt by those from outside our country to undermine our constitutional rights and endanger the nation’s sovereignty,” said Enzi. “There’s simply no need for it. I’m disappointed that the president supports the treaty and I hope August is not enough to hide that support from the people who value one of the most important freedoms we have as Americans.”
The Arms Trade Treaty, which was ratified by the UN on Monday, has already been publicly denounced in Congress, with the Senate in March passing a bipartisan resolution against the U.N.’s treaty. No treaty can take effect if the Senate chooses not to ratify it and Congress doesn’t pass legislation to implement it.
“Our second amendment rights are guaranteed by the constitution and shall not be infringed. If you value these rights stand up and say something. Let the Administration know that you are against the treaty. Get involved, reach out to your family and friends. Our right to keep and bear arms should not be put up for negotiation,” said Enzi.
In addition to Second Amendment concerns, there are concerns that the U.N. arms treaty could impede U.S. arms transfers to its allies, open up the U.S. to attacks from other countries abusing criteria in the treaty, and transfer authority to an international bureaucracy not accountable to U.S. citizens.
Senator Enzi is an original cosponsor of S.Con.Res. 7, sponsored by Senator Jerry Moran, R-Kan., expressing the sense of Congress that the President should not sign the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty and that the Senate shall not ratify the agreement. He also supported two amendments to the Senate budget resolution that would ensure the U.S. will not negotiate or support international treaties that violate Second Amendment rights.
