Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) grilled leaders of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in a House Committee on Veterans Affairs hearing on the current practice of disarming veterans who seek fiduciary assistance managing their benefits.

“It is unacceptable and outright illegal for unelected bureaucrats to strip veterans of their 2^nd Amendment rights without due process just for seeking help managing their benefits,” said Rep. Rosendale. “Veterans should be praised for their service, not deprived of their rights by faceless pencil pushers. Since coming to Congress, I have made it my mission to protect the rights of all Americans, especially veterans. I am stunned that the VA treats veterans who need help managing their benefits as mentally defective and will work hard to ensure their rights are not infringed.”

Under current law, veterans who seek fiduciary assistance are referred by the VA to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to disarm them. Current law treats our veterans as dangerous simply because they own a firearm and request fiduciary assistance with their benefits. This process violates due process because veterans are not afforded a proper pre-deprivation hearing before the firearm restrictions are imposed. Congressman Rosendale chaired much of the committee’s proceedings during this hearing.

Watch Congressman Rosendale's comments and questions in the committee hearing here.