United States – -(AmmoLand.com)- One thing Second Amendment supporters should recognize is that a piece of legislation doesn’t need to grab big headlines to be a sweeping assault on our rights. This is particularly true in the case of HR 4081, the Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act.
This is part of a package of legislation introduced by Representative Sheila Jackson Lee last summer. Her “Santa Fe High School Victims Act” was discussed earlier. But HR 4081 is arguably the centerpiece of her package – and it is perhaps one of the most onerous pieces of legislation Second Amendment supporters have seen.
Unlike the Blair Holt Firearm Owner Licensing and Record of Sale Act or the Federal Firearm Licensing Act of 2019, this bill adds outright registration, the precursor to confiscation, to a very cumbersome licensing process intended to make gun owners agree to give up their rights. In addition, violation of the licensing provisions can get you 15 to 25 years in prison. By contrast, the current felon-in-possession laws under 18 USC 922 have a ten-year maximum sentence per 18 USC 924.
Under this bill, though, it is more than just punishing someone for not having the Attorney General’s permission to own firearms. Just getting the license entails not just a background check, but a psychological exam, 24 hours of training, and a requirement to have insurance.
The psychological examination is a real doozy, too. Not only must you see a licensed psychologist, but that psychologist must be approved by the Attorney General. Also, the psychologist doesn’t just talk to you. They talk to a spouse, your exes, and at least two other family members (or other associates). That alone is time-consuming, simply because those other four interviews will have to be scheduled.
There is also no time limit for approval on the license – an invitation to create more Carol Bowne situations. And for the first five years, the license must be renewed every year. After five years, it’s once every three years. You also pay an $800 fee for the license. Just remember, if you can’t afford the fee, can’t make the exam, the guns you own right now could land you 15 to 25 is Representative Jackson Lee gets her way. And that’s punishment for crimes and acts of madness you did not commit.
Of course, Representative Jackson Lee took a page from Bobby Rush: She has named this act after a victim of the misuse of a firearm – in this case, Sabika Sheikh, a Pakistani exchange student killed in the Santa Fe High School shooting. She can literally use Ms. Sheikh as a shield against the very legitimate criticisms of this massive infringement on Second Amendment rights.
Second Amendment supporters need to contact their Representative and Senators and politely urge them to oppose this massive infringement that only punishes the law-abiding. Second Amendment supporters should urge them to instead support legislation like the School Violence Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2019 and the Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act, which actually address school security and the misuse of firearms and do not infringe on our rights.
About Harold Hutchison
Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.
I live in Houston. I would suggest to vote this idiot out of office on our next possible chance.
This lady (using the term lightly) has not done anything for the people of TX or the US except move her mouth up and down in a pointless self center, self endearing motion.
Get this idiot out of office
You don’t vote on, charge a fee for, or give permission to law abiding citizens to exercise Constitutional rights. Deprivation of rights is a crime.
These socialist nitwits never loosen their grip. This one is the original “limousine liberal” who publicly demonstrated her disdain for taxpayers. Seems she lived only a short walk from her office but abused her privilege to limo service every day. She recommended that the UN monitor U.S. voters during the Obama’s campaigns. With a big mouth and no brains, she’d confiscate every privately owned firearm in a nanosecond if the public allowed it.
“A system of licensing and registration is the perfect device to deny gun ownership to the bourgeoisie.” – Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Anything submitted by shiela jackson lee is bad legislation. This women is so ignorant she believed the astronauts traveled to MARS in the 1960’s. During a tour of NASA Hg. in Houston a few years ago she personally asked the tour guide to point out where on MARS our first MOON landing occurred. This level of stupidity is self developed not taught.
$800 fee for the license. Since the SCOTUS have determined that a very small tax being imposed as a precondition to one’s exercising their RIGHT to vote is unconstitutional, an $800 fee as a precondition to exercising one’s right to arms would also be. SOMEONE needs to grab this piece of dirt congresscritter by the scruff, push her up against a solid wall, and TELL her in very coherent language that she is violating her oath of office, and if she does not back down and withdraw this piece of spit bill of hers, she WILL have felony perjury charges… Read more »
Screw that fat black(LOUD MOUTHED) bitch,IT will never be allowed to pass in Texas, ir we have t start a shooting war, we have had all of this shot we are going to take.
I m sincerely sorry of Sabika, but I be damned if these Demoncunts use her death to THINK they can TAKE AWAY my RIGHTS.(Jackson Lee is a POS)
FOPA forbids registration of guns and owners, and since licensing is a form of registration, FOPA would have to be repealed or amended.
Heres the link to FPC’s take action in opposition of 4081 page. __________________________________________ https://www.firearmspolicy.org/oppose_hr_4081 __________________________________________ How about with all these “under the radar” articles you provide actual links for people to “contact their representatives” instead of just telling them to do so, Harold?! If I can provide a link as a casual reader, you most definitely can as a “2A activist writer“! Admittedly I am a bit more involved than the average reader, however, having an easy link for those less in the know to click and make their voices heard just seems sensible, especially for someone like you who… Read more »
She’s another of many perfect examples of why our election process is broken and the government needs to be overhauled to prevent POS like her from ever running or being elected to office.