Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

Social Security Update: Agency Backpedals as NRA and Pro-Gun Officials Press for Answers

Friday, August 14, 2015

Social Security Update: Agency Backpedals as NRA and Pro-Gun Officials Press for Answers

Last month, we reported on a story by the L.A. Times that indicated the Obama White House is eyeing ways to use the Social Security Administration (SSA) as a source of records for NICS, which includes a federal database of persons prohibited from possessing or receiving firearms. One option the story discussed was SSA’s adoption of a model employed by the Veteran’s Administration, which reports to NICS as “adjudicated as a mental defective” beneficiaries who have been assigned a “fiduciary” to manage their benefits. This has resulted in some 177,000 VA beneficiaries being reported as prohibited persons to NICS, without the necessity of any judicial finding whatsoever as to their propensity for dangerous or violent behavior. According to the L.A. Times, a similar move by the SSA would have far broader reach, involving as many as 4.2 million beneficiaries with “representative payees.” 

We also noted that Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Tex), Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee of the House Committee on Ways and Means, spearheaded a letter joined by 19 members of Congress to Carolyn Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security.  The letter cautioned that using the assignment of representative payees as a basis for reporting SSA beneficiaries to NICS “would be a dangerous overreach.” Accordingly, the letter urged the agency “to abandon any such plan.” It also asked Ms. Colvin to specify whether or not SSA intended to pursue such a policy.

Ms. Colvin responded to Rep. Johnson’s inquiry in a letter dated Aug. 7. According to that letter, “SSA has not provided any names of beneficiaries to the NICS and is not considering sending names based solely on the beneficiaries having representative payees.” Ms. Colvin did acknowledge, however, that “we are currently determining how we must comply with our NICS reporting obligations under Federal law” and “are looking at possible implementation scenarios.” None of those scenarios, according to Ms. Colvin, “would refer all SSA beneficiaries with representative payees to the NICS.”

 A careful parsing of Ms. Colvin’s language, however, still leaves ample room for concern. For example, it does not rule out assignment of a representative payee as factor in reporting beneficiaries to NICS. Rather, it merely states that it will not be use as the “sole” determinant and that not “all” such persons will be reported. This could mean, for example, that SSA would not report beneficiaries who are assigned representative payees solely because they are minors. It also raises the question of what other possible pretext SSA might use to strip its clients of their Second Amendment rights. 

Given these ongoing concerns, your NRA continues to work with pro-gun members of Congress to ensure one of America’s largest entitlement programs is not transformed into the Obama administration gun ban dream machine. 

Also on Aug. 7, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) led a coalition of 27 senators in another letter to Acting Commissioner Colvin. Once again, the letter expressed concern about SSA’s apparent intention to report beneficiaries with representative payees to NICS. “It is not at all clear,” the letter stated, “how this misguided intention is intended to be carried out or how SSA will serve as adjudicator of risks posed by beneficiaries utilizing its representative payee system.” It also asked for a report “on the basis for SSA's intention to develop such a plan.” Further, the letter admonished, “Old age or a disability does not make someone a threat to society,” and closed by urging SSA “to halt any steps to provide information on Social Security beneficiaries or Supplemental Security Income recipients to the NICS.”

Meanwhile, your NRA has been actively engaged with members of Congress on ways to statutorily preempt use of the nation’s entitlement programs as a basis for stripping Americans of the right to keep and bear arms. As we reported last week, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) has introduced S. 2002, a bill that would halt the VA and SSA, or any other agency for that matter, from forwarding individuals to NICS without proper adjudications which find an individual a danger to themselves or others.   Law-abiding recipients of benefits for which they are legally eligible should not have to worry about choosing between monies or services they are due under the law and their fundamental constitutional rights. All options remain on the table to prevent such abuses.

In the meantime, if you have not already registered your concern, your senator and representative needs to hear from you NOW that you will not tolerate use of the Social Security Administration to strip Americans of their Second Amendment rights. You can use our "Write Your Lawmakers" feature here or call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

 

TRENDING NOW
Last Chance for Gun Owners to Ask U.S. House to Amend the Reconciliation Bill

News  

Monday, May 19, 2025

Last Chance for Gun Owners to Ask U.S. House to Amend the Reconciliation Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives has another chance to amend the current Reconciliation Bill making its way through Congress. The Reconciliation Bill would currently rescind the unconstitutional tax on suppressors, but it doesn’t remove them ...

Trump DOJ Settles Lawsuits Involving Forced Reset Triggers

News  

Monday, May 19, 2025

Trump DOJ Settles Lawsuits Involving Forced Reset Triggers

On Friday, May 16, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the settlement of several lawsuits arising from the Biden-Harris regime’s attempt to reclassify forced reset triggers (FRTs) as “machineguns.” DOJ’s announcement cited President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting ...

Clueless Anti-gun Democrats Dig Themselves an Ever Deeper Hole

Monday, May 19, 2025

Clueless Anti-gun Democrats Dig Themselves an Ever Deeper Hole

Anyone reading the firearm-related news these days is reminded that anti-gun Democrats appear oblivious to the blunt message sent by millions of American voters last fall. Despite Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris blowing through a mountain ...

Another Court Determines Magazines Aren’t “Arms” in Upholding Arbitrary Limits

News  

Monday, May 19, 2025

Another Court Determines Magazines Aren’t “Arms” in Upholding Arbitrary Limits

Last week, the Washington State Supreme Court upheld the state’s ban on magazines that hold over ten rounds, overturning a lower court order that had deemed it unconstitutional. The 7-2 decision in State v. Gator’s Custom ...

House Committee on Ways and Means Advances Legislation Involving Suppressors

News  

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

House Committee on Ways and Means Advances Legislation Involving Suppressors

Early this morning, The House Committee on Ways & Means, led by Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO-08) finished a markup of their section of the Reconciliation Bill. Included in this legislation was a provision which would ...

Rocky Times for Gun Owners in the Rocky Mountain State

News  

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Rocky Times for Gun Owners in the Rocky Mountain State

As the Colorado legislative session closes, its 2025 edition will long be remembered and lamented as a historic assault on the Second Amendment.

Illinois: Legislation to Shut Down Gun Manufacturers in Committee Tomorrow

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Illinois: Legislation to Shut Down Gun Manufacturers in Committee Tomorrow

Tomorrow, the House Gun Violence Prevention Committee will hear House Bill 3320, a dangerous proposal that could effectively shut down firearm manufacturing in Illinois. Please use the Take Action button below to contact committee members and ...

Arizona: Governor Hobbs Vetoes Three Pro-Gun Bills Passed by Legislature

Friday, May 16, 2025

Arizona: Governor Hobbs Vetoes Three Pro-Gun Bills Passed by Legislature

Despite strong support from the Arizona Legislature, Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed Senate Bills 1014, 1020, and 1143, each of which sought to protect and enhance the rights of law-abiding gun owners in the Grand Canyon ...

Is Hogg’s time up at the DNC?

News  

Monday, May 19, 2025

Is Hogg’s time up at the DNC?

The last time we mentioned David Hogg, he had been selected to be a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and wasted no time making some (many?) regret that choice. Why? Because one of ...

Trump Administration Revives Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Provision

News  

Friday, March 21, 2025

Trump Administration Revives Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Provision

On March 20, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published an interim final rule entitled, Withdrawing the Attorney General’s Delegation of Authority. That bland title belies the historic nature of the measure, which is aimed at reviving ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.