\n<\/p>\n
As far as constitutionally protected rights go, the right to bear arms is the only one that is largely infringed upon because of an American adult\u2019s age. Various laws curtailing the Second Amendment rights of 18- to 20-year-olds have been fought over at the state level for the past several years.<\/p>\n
Now, one such struggle is taking place in Congress. As Democrats seek to make it illegal for adults under 21 to purchase a common semi-automatic rifle, Republicans in the Senate are trying to do away with the infringement banning 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds from purchasing handguns.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, introduced a measure that would raise the minimum age to buy so-called \u201cassault weapons\u201d and misnamed \u201chigh-capacity\u201d ammunition magazines from 18 to 21.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone in America should be able to live free from the fear of injury or death caused by a firearm,\u201d\u00a0Sen. Kaine said in a press release announcing the action<\/a>.\u00a0\u201cOne of many common-sense steps we can take to reduce that risk is limiting young people\u2019s access to assault weapons\u2014just like we already limit their access to handguns.\u201d<\/p>\n As the National Shooting Sports Foundation pointed out in late 2023<\/a>, there are more\u00a0Modern Sporting Rifles (NSSF\u2019s term for what antis call \u201cassault weapons\u201d)\u00a0in circulation than there are Ford F-150s trucks on the road. By any figure, that\u2019s a firearm that\u2019s commonly owned, commonly used and protected \u201carms\u201d under the Second Amendment.<\/p>\n Despite that fact, the bill lowering the age to 18 is being pushed by a who\u2019s who of gun-ban groups, including March for Our Lives, Giffords, Newtown Action Alliance, Everytown for Gun Safety and Brady, formerly called Handgun Control Inc.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in the U.S. House of Representatives, Republicans are making a push to recognize the infringed-upon rights of 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds. On February 27, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, reintroduced the Second Amendment for Every Registrable (SAFER) Voter Act, which would lower the age from 21 to 18 for purchasing a handgun from a federal firearms licensee (FFL).<\/p>\n Rep. Massie announced the measure, HR 1643<\/a>, on Facebook, posting, \u201cI just reintroduced the Second Amendment for Every Registrable Voter Act, HR 1643. The SAFER Voter Act would repeal the federal law that prevents voting-age adults, 18 to 20, from purchasing a handgun from a FFL.\u201d<\/p>\n