ARKANSAS SENATOR
TOM COTTON
During World War II and the Korean War, while American troops were risking their lives in foreign lands to defend our freedoms, they acquired several mementoes of their service, usually firearms, which they hoped to pass on to their children. But technically, under current law, it’s illegal for many of them to possess these weapons. That’s why several of my colleagues and I have introduced a bipartisan bill to allow them to keep these precious heirlooms.
While serving overseas, many troops legally obtained firearms, but today they don’t have the proper paperwork to certify their purchases. As a result, many have been unable to obtain the permit required to possess these weapons legally. In 1968, Congress tried to fix this problem by allowing for a brief amnesty period in which vets could register their firearms, but many didn’t receive enough notice to participate.
Our legislation would protect these vets from prosecution by allowing them to seek a federal registration. Specifically, this legislation would create a 180-day amnesty period for veterans or their family members to register firearms acquired overseas before October 31, 1968—without facing any penalties.
It’s simply showing our veterans the respect they deserve to give them an opportunity to get right with the law. These firearms represent the sacrifices they made for our country. And when our vets hand them on to the next generation, they also will be handing down a tradition of duty and honor that defends our country to this very day.