News Releases

Sen. Moran on Administration's Decision to Sign U.N. Arms Trade Treaty

"The Administration has clearly abbreviated this review process to a meager six weeks… simply unheard of for a treaty of this significance and scope. I am greatly disappointed at the lack of seriousness on the part of the Administration to review the ATT before agreeing to sign it."

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – 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 – today responded to Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Countryman’s statement that the United States will sign the ATT when it opens for signature on June 3, 2013. This announcement comes on the heels of the Administration abandoning its previous insistence on consensus by allowing a vote in the U.N. General Assembly to pass the U.N. ATT.

"This news is incredibly disappointing, given Assistant Secretary Countryman has previously described the goals of the treaty as ‘ambiguous.’ Good treaties aren’t ambiguous, and our constitutional rights are too important to be entrusted to a dangerous treaty drafted by nations hostile to the ownership of firearms by private citizens.

"Upon passage of the ATT at the U.N. General Assembly on April 2, the Administration indicated it would begin an extensive and thorough internal legal and policy review – a process typically requiring several months. By already signaling a readiness to sign the Treaty, the Administration has clearly abbreviated this review process to a meager six weeks. This is simply unheard of for a treaty of this significance and scope. I am greatly disappointed at the lack of seriousness on the part of the Administration to review the ATT before agreeing to sign it.

"The United States should ratify treaties only when they are in our national interest, clear in their goals and language, respect our sovereignty, and do not create any openings to infringe upon our constitutional freedoms. The Arms Trade Treaty fails to meet any of these tests, which is why I urge the President not to sign it, and why a bipartisan coalition of 36 U.S. Senators will remain united in opposition to ratification."

Sen. Moran’s concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 7, is cosponsored by 35 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), Mike Lee (R-UT), 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), Tim Scott (R-SC), 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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