Back to News
May 15, 2024
NSSF PROFILE Q&A: U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.)
Editor’s Note: We are pleased to post the latest of our occasional Q&A features with an elected official who supports hunting and the shooting sports. NSSF thanks U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) for speaking with us about his staunch support for the Second Amendment and the importance of the firearm and ammunition industry. Rep. Emmer represents the Sixth District in Minnesota and is serving in his fifth term in Congress. Rep. Emmer serves as the Chief Majority Whip in the House of Representatives, the Number 3 leadership position within the House Republican Majority Conference. In addition to his leadership positions, Whip Emmer also serves on the House Financial Services Committee. We thank Whip Emmer for speaking with us.
1) Who introduced you to hunting and the shooting sports?
Hunting and shooting have been a family affair for the Emmers for as long as I can remember. I grew up hunting and shooting with my dad and grandfather. Now, it’s a tradition I get to pass down to my children and grandchildren.
Fun fact: The fastest-growing high school sport in Minnesota is trap shooting.
2) What was your most recent shooting sports/hunting experience?
I recently had the privilege of going skeet shooting in Pennsylvania and pheasant hunting in Watertown, Minnesota.
3) Describe your favorite shooting sports or hunting activity.
Pheasant hunting is the best type of hunting there is, in my opinion. While it’s fun to sit in a blind to hunt ducks or a pit to hunt geese, there’s nothing like going for a walk with the dogs to hunt pheasants.
4) Which piece of pending legislation in Congress related to the conservation, hunting and the firearm industry is particularly important to you and why?
The Firearm Due Process Protection Act has been a top priority of mine. I first introduced the legislation in April 2016 and I was proud to again reintroduce it this Congress. This bill helps protect law-abiding gun owners from the broken National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by implementing accountability mechanisms when Americans’ Constitutional right to own a firearm is wrongly denied by the federal government.
This Congress, I also co-sponsored Rep. Andrew Clyde’s (R-Ga.) joint resolution to repeal the Biden administration’s unconstitutional crackdown on stabilizing braces, which disproportionately impacts disabled veterans and turns millions of law-abiding gun owners into criminals overnight. Although the resolution failed in the Democrat-led Senate, House Republicans will not stop fighting against the Biden administration’s overreaching efforts to restrict Americans’ Second Amendment rights.
5) What do you see as the challenges and opportunities in Congress for hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts?
From prioritizing universal background checks to a ban on semiautomatic rifles, President Joe Biden and the Democrats have made it clear they would rather appease the far-left members of their party than protect law-abiding hunters and gun owners. So long as House Republicans are in the majority, we will work tirelessly to counteract the Biden administration’s gun control agenda and ensure Americans’ Second Amendment rights are protected.
You may also be interested in:
ATF Firearm Trafficking Report: Licensed Retailers Aren’t the Problem
Categories: BP Item, Featured, Government Relations, Top Stories
25650
