Captain Mark Kelly Statement on Defense Bill Amendment Undercutting Bipartisan Policy on Guns on Military Bases

May 20, 2014

Captain Mark Kelly, Founder of Veterans for Responsible Solutions, issued the following statement on the amendment by Congressman Louie Gohmert (TX) to the National Defense Authorization Act that would require the Department of Defense to permit members of the armed forces to carry firearms on military bases, undercutting established military policy:

“When it comes to keeping our men and women in uniform safe from gun violence on their bases, we should listen to our military leaders, not pass laws that contradict them. Congressman Louie Gohmert’s amendment forces our military to do something that the Pentagon and base commanders have said over and over won’t make our soliders any safer: permit military personnel to carry loaded guns openly on bases. In the wake of the tragedies at The Navy Yard and Fort Hood, and as our military leaders grapple with an epidemic of suicide, Congress should not be tying military commanders’ hands and undercutting over two decades of bipartisan policy. Instead, we must remain focused on preventing dangerous people from getting their hands on guns. We are hopeful that this provision will be excluded from the final defense bill and urge Members to oppose this misguided amendment.”