WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), the author of S. Con. Res. 7 – the bipartisan resolution which makes clear a United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that undermines Constitutional freedoms of American gun owners will not be ratified by the Senate – released the following statement today on Iran, North Korea and Syria blocking the U.N. ATT last night.

"I have said all along that negotiating the ATT with dictatorships was a bad idea. Last night, Iran, Syria, and North Korea made clear they have no intention of abiding by any such treaty. Therefore, any ATT would only serve to constrain law-abiding democracies like the U.S.," Sen. Moran said. "The most recent collapse of ATT negotiations should serve as a wake-up call to the world’s democracies of the inherent flaws in the U.N. treaty process that puts us on level ground with dictatorships who abuse human rights and arms terrorists."

"In the coming weeks, I anticipate ATT supporters will seek new avenues for treaty adoption, such as the U.N. General Assembly," Sen. Moran continued. "Given the apparent support of the Obama Administration for the ATT, members of the U.S. Senate must continue to make clear that any treaty that violates our Second Amendment freedoms will be an absolute nonstarter for ratification."

S. Con. Res. 7 is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 34 Senators and outlines specific criteria that must be met for a U.N. ATT to be ratified by the U.S. Senate and recognized as customary international law. The companion resolution was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA).

Last July, the U.N. Conference on the ATT dissolved without a consensus treaty text. This was in part thanks to the U.S. delegation asking for additional time after receiving a letter from Sen. Moran and 50 of his Senate colleagues expressing intent to oppose ratification of any treaty that infringes upon our Second Amendment freedoms. On November 7, 2012, the day after President Obama’s reelection, his administration announced its intent to reengage in treaty negotiations which will begin Monday.

"The NRA is the voice of over 4.5 million members and represents tens of millions of other gun owners who are concerned about preserving their Second Amendment rights. We have always been clear that any treaty which does not expressly exclude civilian firearms ownership from its scope will be met with the NRA’s greatest force of opposition,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director for the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “We thank Senator Moran for his leadership, and look forward to working with him and his colleagues to defend the fundamental Second Amendment freedoms of all Americans."

Sen. Moran’s concurrent resolution is cosponsored by 33 U.S. Senators including: Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), John Barrasso (R-WY), Max Baucus (D-MT), John Boozman (R-AR), Richard Burr (R-NC), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Thad Cochran (R-MS), John Cornyn (R-TX), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Dean Heller (R-NV), John Hoeven (R-ND), James Inhofe (R-OK), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Rand Paul (R-KY), Rob Portman (R-OH), Jim Risch (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), John Thune (R-SD), Pat Toomey (R-PA), David Vitter (R-LA) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

S. Con. Res. 7 has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, Heritage Action, and the Endowment for Middle East Truth.

Click here to read S. Con. Res. 7 outlining criteria that must be met for a U.N. ATT to be ratified by the Senate.

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