Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith from Mississippi has reaffirmed her support for two legislative measures aimed at enhancing Second Amendment rights for individuals without a fixed physical address. In collaboration with U.S. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Hyde-Smith is co-sponsoring the Protect Our Military Families’ 2nd Amendment Rights Act (S.961) and the Traveler’s Gun Rights Act (S.966). These bills propose amendments to the Gun Control Act of 1968, aiming to safeguard the rights of military families and full-time travelers to legally obtain firearms.

Hyde-Smith stated, "Bureaucratic hurdles shouldn’t stand in the way of law-abiding Americans – including our brave servicemembers and their families – exercising their constitutional rights to own a firearm." She emphasized that these legislative efforts are intended to ensure that all Americans can exercise their Second Amendment rights without unnecessary interference.

Senator Rounds expressed his commitment as well, saying, "As a hunter, a lawful gun owner and a supporter of the Second Amendment, I am committed to protecting the rights of lawful gun owners." He noted that current laws do not adequately address the unique living situations faced by many Americans such as military families and full-time travelers.

The proposed S.961 bill would permit licensed dealers to sell or ship firearms to spouses of active-duty military members. Presently, under the Gun Control Act, citizens are restricted to purchasing firearms only in their state of residence, with exceptions made for service members but not their spouses.

The S.966 bill seeks to redefine “state of residence” and “residence” to include private mailboxes and post office boxes. Despite these addresses being used for official documentation like driver’s licenses, they are not currently recognized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) for firearms transaction records.

Both bills have been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and have received endorsements from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.