The U.S. Senate, with a vote of 53-46 voted on an amendment proposed by Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), which prevents the U.S. from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty.
Statement of purpose: To uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty.
According to the Senate roll call of the vote, eight Democrats joined with Republicans to pass the amendment to uphold Second Amendment rights. Those Democrats were Begich (D-AK), Donnelly (D-IN), Hagan (D-NC), Heinrich (D-NM), Heitkamp (D-ND), Manchin (D-WV), Pryor (D-AR), and Tester (D-MT).
Via The Hill:
The U.N. Arms Trade Treaty would regulate international arms sales. Negotiations end on March 28.
“We’re negotiating a treaty that cedes our authority to have trade agreements with our allies in terms of trading arms,” Inhofe said. “This is probably the last time this year that you’ll be able to vote for your Second Amendment rights.”
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) offered an alternative amendment that clarified that under current U.S. law, treaties don’t trump the Constitution and that the United States should not agree to any arms treaty that violates the Second Amendment rights. His amendment passed by voice vote.
The Senate vote on the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty came within days of Secretary of State John Kerry announcing U.S. support for the treaty.
[Update below]
Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, issued a statement praising Senator Inhofe (R-Okla.) for introducing an amendment, saying the fight to oppose “any United Nations effort to undermine the constitutional rights of law-abiding American gun owners” has grown “more intense.”
“Thanks to the efforts of Senator Inhofe, we are one step closer to ensuring the UN will not trample on the freedoms our Founding Fathers guaranteed to us,” Cox said. (Source)
[Update] List of the 46 Democrats that voted Nay:
NAYs ---46 | ||
Baldwin (D-WI) Baucus (D-MT) Bennet (D-CO) Blumenthal (D-CT) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Coons (D-DE) Cowan (D-MA) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY) | Harkin (D-IA) Hirono (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kaine (D-VA) King (I-ME) Klobuchar (D-MN) Landrieu (D-LA) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murphy (D-CT) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) | Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schatz (D-HI) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Stabenow (D-MI) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Warner (D-VA) Warren (D-MA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR) |