2016: Schweikert Voted Against An Amendment That Exempted Claims Brought By A Gun Owner Seeking Monetary Relief Due To A Defective Design Of A Firearm From Allowing A Federal Court To Apply More Stringent Rules For Who Can Sue In A Class-Action Lawsuit. In January 2016, Schweikert voted against an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "exempt[ed] claims brought by a gun owner seeking monetary relief involving the defective design or manufacturing of a firearm." The underlying bill would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "prohibit[ed] federal courts from certifying proposed classes of individuals for a class-action lawsuit unless each member of the class has suffered the same type and degree of injury. Additionally, the bill would [have] require[d] quarterly reports by asbestos trusts including claims made against the trusts and payouts made by the trusts for asbestos-related injuries." The vote was on the amendment. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 163 to 221. [House Vote 25, 1/8/16; Congressional Quarterly, 1/8/16; Congressional Quarterly, 1/8/16; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 898; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1927]
2021: Schweikert Voted Against Expanding The Prohibition Of Individuals Convicted Of Crimes Related To Domestic Violence From Owning A Firearm, Including Those Convicted Of Stalking And Crimes Against Dating Partners, And Individuals Subject To Restraining Orders. In March 2021, Schweikert voted against the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "expand prohibitions on firearm ownership by individuals convicted in relation to domestic violence to include individuals convicted of stalking offenses or crimes against dating partners, as well as individuals subject to temporary protective orders." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 244-172. The Senate did not take substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 86, 3/17/21; Congressional Quarterly, 3/17/21; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1620]
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act Of 2021 Drew Republican Opposition Over The Provision That Would Prohibit Someone From Purchasing A Firearm Due To Certain Misdemeanors. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The legislation (HR 1620) has support from a handful of Republicans heading into Thursday's debate, but it has also attracted GOP opposition over provisions that lower the threshold to bar someone from buying a gun based on certain misdemeanors." [Congressional Quarterly, 3/16/21]
The Most Controversial Provision Would Ban Individuals With Misdemeanor Convictions Of Domestic Abuse And Stalking From Purchasing Firearms. According to NPR, "The most contentious issue in the House-passed bill is a provision that expands the criminal threshold to bar an individual from buying a gun to include misdemeanor convictions of domestic abuse or stalking." [NPR, 3/17/21]
The Bill Would Expand The Who Is Affected By Gun Restrictions To Include Dating Partners In Attempt To Close The "Boyfriend Loophole." According to NPR, "It would also close the so-called boyfriend loophole to expand the definition of who is affected by existing gun prohibitions to include dating partners." [NPR, 3/17/21]
The National Rifle Association Opposed The Bill For The Second Time Due To The Gun Provisions. According to NPR, "In 2019, the National Rifle Association opposed the legislation for the first time, which put GOP lawmakers in a tough political position of voting against a popular law to support victims of domestic and sexual violence, or voting against the gun lobby. The NRA continues to oppose the legislation because of the gun provisions." [NPR, 3/17/21]
2016: Schweikert Effectively Voted Against Excluding Rules Or Regulations Relating To Gun Violence From A Bill That Required Public Notice When The Federal Government Enters Discussion On Consent Decrees Or Settlement Agreements. In January 2016, Schweikert effectively voted against an amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "exclude[d] from the bill rules or regulations relating to gun violence, particularly in school zones or other vulnerable areas." The underlying legislation would have, also according to Congressional Quarterly, "require[d] the federal government to provide public notice when it plans to enter into discussions regarding consent decree or settlement agreements, and would ban a party from making a motion for entry on these cases until after the end of proceedings. Additionally, the bill would [have] require[d] agencies to submit status reports on rule making activities online." The vote was on a motion to recommit. The House rejected the motion by a vote of 171 to 244. [House Vote 11, 1/7/16; Congressional Quarterly, 1/7/16; Congressional Quarterly, 1/7/16; Congressional Actions, H.R. 712]
2019: Schweikert Voted Against Reauthorizing The Violence Against Women Act, Which Had Provisions Expanding Restrictions On Who Cannot Own A Firearm To Include Those Convicted Of Abusing Dating Partners Or Those Subject To A Temporary Restraining Order. In February 2019, Schweikert voted against legislation reauthorizing VAWA. According to Congressional Quarterly, "This bill reauthorizes through FY 2024 programs enacted under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and it modifies the programs to further help state and local governments improve strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to strengthen victim services. It makes it a crime for police officers to sexually assault those under arrest; it increases prison sentences for those who stalk minors and applies domestic violence penalties against those who commit violence against a current or former dating partner; it allows the victims of domestic violence to terminate a housing lease without penalty and requires federal housing officials to provide emergency transfers to different housing units if an individual believes he or she is threatened with imminent harm or a sexual assault recently occurred on the property; and it prohibits individuals from begin denied unemployment benefits solely because they lost or left their job due to domestic violence, sexual assault or other harassment. The measure also expands existing prohibitions on the ability of individuals to purchase firearms if they have been convicted of domestic violence by including those who abused dating partners as well as individuals subject to temporary court restraining orders, and it allows certain VAWA grant monies to be used toward efforts to recover and store firearms from individuals convicted of domestic violence." The vote was on passage. The House passed the legislation by a vote of 263 to 158. [House Vote 156, 4/4/19; Congressional Quarterly, 3/29/19; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1585]