Biden DOJ Launches ‘National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center’

The Department of Justice announced it had established the “National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center.”

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Attorney General Merrick Garland stated,

“The launch of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center will provide our partners across the country with valuable resources to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others.

The establishment of the Center is the latest example of the Justice Department’s work to use every tool provided by the landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to protect communities from gun violence.”

Citation

You can read the full DOJ press release on the new center here.

Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) opposed the new DOJ center saying on X,

“What the hell is this evil?
A Federal Red Flag center;
We did not authorize this.
Announced, of course, just hours after the omnibus passes.”

Citation

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was passed in 2022 under S. 2938.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) were the primary sponsors of the legislation.

In all 14 Republicans joined the Democrats in passing the act. The 14 Republicans in the Senate who voted for the bill were:

Roy Blunt (MO), Richard Burr (NC), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Bill Cassidy (LA), Susan Collins (ME), John Cornyn (TX), Joni Ernst (IA), Lindsey Graham (SC), Mitch McConnel (KY), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Rob Portman (OH), Mitt Romney (UT), Thom Tillis (NC), and Todd Young (IN)

On the House side, the final vote was 234 to 193. All Democrats voted for the measure.

14 Republicans joined the Democrats in the House to vote for the measure. The 14 Republicans were:

Steve Chabot (OH), Liz Cheney (WY), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Tony Gonzales (TX), Anthony Gonzalez (OH), Christopher Jacobs (NY), David Joyce (OH), John Katko (NY), Adam Kinzinger (IL), Peter Meijer (MI), Tom Rice (SC), Maria Elvira Salazar (FL), Michael Turner (OH), and Fred Upton (MI)

The Firearms Policy Coalition, an anti-gun control organization, said the following in opposition to the new center:

“tl;dr: Congress took your money to fund evil and unconstitutional things. This is the federal government doing what the federal government does.”

Citation

Meanwhile, Everytown for Gun Safety, a pro-gun control organization, shared a post from Vice President Kamala Harris, who praised the new center.

Harris’ post on X said,

“President Biden and I have invested $750M to help states implement red flag laws that save lives. Today, I am calling on every state to take action, and we are launching a national red flag resource center to assist.”

Citation