Senate GOP is putting veterans’ lives at risk by weakening background checks

WASHINGTON —  GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention group led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, condemned the Senate Appropriations Committee’s inclusion of the Kennedy provision during the markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. 

The language will enable veterans who have been deemed “incompetent” by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and have been consequently assigned a fiduciary, to purchase a firearm by withholding this information from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Previously, veterans with this designation, who are often at elevated risk of suicide, had their names  submitted to NICS in order to prevent these veterans from purchasing firearms during times of mental health crisis. According to the latest National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report from the Veterans Administration, more than 17 veterans died by suicide each day in 2021. Senator Chris Murphy offered an amendment in committee that would seek to monitor and report on veteran suicide in relationship to the implementation of this language, but Republicans voted it down. 

“Too many veterans lose their lives to suicide every single day and Senate Republicans made it easier today for veterans in the most danger to access firearms. On the heels of devastating cuts to health care and mental health programs for low income veterans, this provision is a blow to public safety, which we will continue to fight,” said GIFFORDS Executive Director Emma Brown.