Mississippi’s U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has joined Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis in introducing legislation to reinstate the right of adults between the ages of 18 and 20 to purchase a handgun from a federally licensed dealer.
The Second Amendment Mandates Equality (SAME) Act of 2021 would repeal a law that currently prevents adults under 21 from buying a handgun. Under current federal law, 18-year-old may only purchase shotguns and rifles.
“The right to keep and bear all firearms is a fundamental right that should not be restricted by the federal government. This legislation would repeal the arbitrary restriction for citizens between 18 and 20 years old from purchasing a handgun,” Hyde-Smith said. “I am pleased to join my colleagues in this effort to protect our constitutional Second Amendment rights.”
“The Second Amendment is a constitutional right, and does not treat 18-year-olds as second-class adults,” Lummis said. “In keeping with the Supreme Court’s Heller decision, the SAME Act would overturn our current restrictive anti-handgun statute and ensure equal treatment under the law for adults under 21. Ultimately, if we trust 18-year-olds enough to defend our country and to choose our elected officials, we should trust them enough to purchase a handgun.”
Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) also cosponsored the SAME Act, and Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives.
Gun Owners of America and the National Association for Gun Rights also endorsed the SAME Act.
Click here to read the legislation in its entirety.
