Ignite Liberty

Making Critical Thinking Great Again!

Congress

Bice Urges Removal of Red Flag Law from NDAA

Editor’s Note: Below is a press release issued by Representative Stephanie Bice (CD 5) regarding the “Red Flag Law” included in this year’s NDAA. It is reprinted in it’s entirety with permission from Congresswoman Bice’s office.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Congresswoman Stephanie Bice (Oklahoma, CD5)

Today, Representative Stephanie Bice (OK-05), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08), along with 161 of their colleagues, sent a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, urging the full removal of a “red flag” provision in H.R. 4350, the House National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) during the conference committee process.

The letter expresses deep concern that if Sec. 529 of the NDAA were to be enacted, the Second Amendment rights of U.S. military servicemembers would be violated by allowing military judges and magistrates to issue military court gun confiscation orders. Such orders could be issued on an ex parte basis, without the servicemember even being present in court to defend themselves.

“The NDAA is necessary legislation to fund our military and defense, as well as to provide salary and benefits for our soldiers and retirees. It is unfortunate that once again Democrats are doing everything they can to erode the Second Amendment rights of Americans, including those that protect and serve this country, by inserting red flag provisions into this bill,” said Rep. Bice.

“My vote in support of the NDAA was to reject Biden’s efforts to gut our military, to ensure we’re able to stand up to Russia and China, and to begin investigations into the Biden Administration’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, not to remove our military’s Second Amendment rights. I will fight to ensure this provision is stripped from the final version of the NDAA.”

“The National Defense Authorization Act funds our entire Defense Department for the year and included provisions I secured critical for our troops and Fort Bragg. While I was proud to support these provisions, I strongly opposed Democrats once again inserting a section on red flag laws that threaten the Second Amendment rights of our servicemembers,” said Rep. Hudson. “Like last year, I am proud to help lead efforts to ensure these provisions are removed from the final bill as the process continues between the House and Senate. I thank Congresswoman Bice for her leadership on this issue and will continue to do everything possible to support our troops and defend our Second Amendment.”

The members wrote: “…Even more concerning, under this provision, such an order could be issued by a military court on an ex parte basis – meaning the order could be issued without the servicemember even being present in court to defend themselves. We believe this is a serious breach of due process that demands your full attention.

They continued: “…Every single day, brave American servicemembers serve in harm’s way to defend our nation, our way of life, and the very constitutional rights that Sec. 529 would erode. This dangerous provision must be excluded from the final package.”

The full text of the letter can be found here:

Congresswoman Bice Letter Regarding Red Flag Laws

and below:

Dear Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Rogers, Chairman Reed, and Ranking Member Inhofe:

As you begin the conference committee process to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, we write to strongly urge you to strike Sec. 529 of the House version, H.R. 4350. We are greatly concerned that if enacted, Sec. 529 would violate the Second Amendment rights of our nation’s brave servicemembers by allowing military judges and magistrates to issue military court gun confiscation orders.

Even more concerning, under this provision, such an order could be issued by a military court on an ex parte basis – meaning the order could be issued without the servicemember even being present in court to defend themselves. We believe this is a serious breach of due process that demands your full attention.

Every single day, brave American servicemembers serve in harm’s way to defend our nation, our way of life, and the very constitutional rights that Sec. 529 would erode. This dangerous provision must be excluded from the final package. Again, we ask for your support to strike Sec. 529 of H.R. 4350 from the final conference report of the FY 2022 NDAA. Thank you for your attention to this important matter and please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Ignite Liberty Exclusive: Stephanie Bice Sets The Record Straight About January 6th Commission

Oklahoma City

A firestorm of controversy has erupted in the last couple weeks around freshman Congresswoman Stephanie Bice, following her support of the Commission to study the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. Ignite Liberty had the opportunity to meet with her at one of her stops in the metro area Wednesday to discuss her vote and the reasons she supported the commission. We are the only news outlet in the state to interview her over her support.

Freshman Republican Congresswoman Stephanie Bice (Oklahoma, CD5)

While the social media rumor mill has painted her anywhere from being a turncoat to the conservative cause to a weak-spined congresswoman that sold out to the establishment, the truth, as we discovered, painted a very different light.

Congresswoman Bice’s deep concerns about the very real possibility of the investigation into the riots falling solely into the hands of Nancy Pelosi became a driving force for her support of the commission. “What people don’t realize is that if we did not have this commission, Nancy Pelosi would have taken over the entire investigation and filled the committee with Democrats.”

Bice made no bones about the consequences of that inaction, saying, “It is absolutely critical that we, as conservatives and Republicans, be involved in the process. We have got to have a seat at the table. It’s the only way we can guarantee justice is served. Allowing Nancy Pelosi to completely control the investigation, and flood the Commission with Democrats, would have guaranteed that it would have turned what should be a search for justice into a witch-hunt to persecute innocent Americans.”

“There are deep, serious questions that need to be asked,” Bice added, “like why did Nancy Pelosi turn down National Guard assistance 2 days prior to January 6th? Why has there been zero investigation into the death of Ashley Babbitt, who was killed just steps from the house floor?? Why are innocent Americans, including several 100% disabled veterans, being held in Federal lockup…without a warrant??? These are very serious questions that deserve to have real answers, and the Commission is the only way we’re going to get to the bottom of it.”

When asked about how the Commission would function, and who would be doing the investigating, Bice responded, “There will be 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats on the Commission, all appointed by the House party leaders. The investigation itself will actually not be done by members of Congress. Instead, it will be done by experts in civil law, cyber security experts, security experts, etc.”

Stressing the transparency of the process, Bice stated, “All of the rules that the Commission has to function under had to be voted on and approved by Congress. I welcome and encourage any concerned citizen, indeed all citizens, to go onto Congress’ website and read the rules for themselves once they’re published.”

Bice also addressed the concern that her constituents have expressed over her support of the Commission. “I welcome anyone who has concerns about why I voted for the Commission to contact my office and ask me directly. I would be more than happy to answer them and explain to them my reasoning for supporting the efforts. I want my constituents to know that I remain as deeply committed to conservative principles as I was when I took office, and have not wavered one inch.”

The real danger of inaction could not be clearer. For those concerned that the January 6th Commission will be nothing more than a tool to falsify charges against President Trump and other innocent Americans while BLM and Antifa go free, it seems as though inaction would be more likely to cause that effect than voting for the Commission. If Bice had voted against the commission, and it had failed in part because of her “no” vote, we would have justifiably held her responsible for the witch-hunt that would have most certainly ensued. By that same standard, then, Bice deserves praise for supporting the commission, not ridicule. After all, she could have just voted “present.”

NOTE: As of print time, Ignite Liberty is waiting on a copy of the rules for the January 6th Commission. Once it’s received, this story will be updated and the link attached.