Senate Democrats Propose Bill That Would Criminalize Armed Church Security
A recent Lifeway survey of Protestant pastors shows that armed congregants protect more than 50% of protestant churches. While these security arrangements vary in their level of sophistication on a church-by-church basis, nearly the same number of pastors who report the use of armed congregants report that there is an intentional plan in place to prepare for threats posed by an active shooter. Though various state and local laws currently regulate and limit the use of concealed carry weapons by church security teams in various locale, a proposed federal law would criminalize the preparations made by many armed church security teams across the United States.
Sponsored in the U.S. Senate by Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) and cosponsored by Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA), the Preventing Private Military Activity Act of 2024 widely defines a paramilitary group as any group of 3 or more persons who function under a command structure as a “security services unit.”
If passed, the bill would make it illegal to “publicly patrol, drill, or engage in techniques capable of causing bodily injury or death.” Power to enforce this law would be derived from the interstate commerce clause of the constitution, as the proposed bill would be applicable whenever a church security team utilizes either weapons or ammunition that have “traveled in interstate or foreign commerce,” a clause that applies to nearly every weapon and round of ammunition in circulation. Additionally, even the act of training to engage in an activity that could cause bodily injury or death, such as an active shooter drill, would be considered a violation of federal law under the proposal.
Penalties for violating the training prohibitions of the Preventing Private Military Activity Act of 2024 would range from 1-year probation to 2 years in prison plus applicable fines and civil forfeiture of any property, “personal or real,” involved in or “intended to be used” in a manner that violates the law. Presumably, civil forfeiture would include the loss of any firearm reserved for use by a security team member, but broader interpretations of the law could include the forfeiture of real estate associated with the violation.
Additionally, if an active shooting situation took place, and the shooter was killed or injured by the church security team, the proposed law would make members of the security team subject to criminal penalties that range from 5 years to life in prison. The act would also give a surviving shooter or his surviving family the right to bring a federal civil lawsuit against members of the church security team if he is injured or killed.
The Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024 has also been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by eleven democratic house members. Notable amongst the bills’ house sponsors is representative Henry “Hank” Johnson, a representative with cognitive function comparable to that of President Biden, who once expressed concern that the island of Guam could become so overpopulated that it would “tip over and capsize.”
While the checks and balances of the legislative system will hopefully keep this bill from becoming the law of the land, it is truly frightening to see so many legislators who would turn brave church security team members into criminals, in what would be a severe miscarriage of justice.
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While this bill would affect private church security, I think they are really targeting groups like “The Proud Boys” and “Patriot Front”. Sure, they don’t want people to be able to defend themselves in church, but what they want even less is for people to actually *do* something. Networking with like-minded individuals in real life and working together is the last thing they want to happen. They would rather people sit at home and watch [insert “conservative” controlled opposition news outlet here] then get wound up in fits of impotent rage and go to bed without ever doing anything.
You should be more concerned about the Grammar Police.
Good point. We churches should absolutely be less concerned about this law and proceed with armed security, while making sure the grammar related to said security team is correct. Appreciate the encouragement.
LOL! The Proud Boys are NOT a dangerous group; that’s leftist projection; while the FEDERAL run Patriot Front is a hazard to everyone pushing the so-called ‘white nationalist’ nonsense.
Get some help.
It’s an about time someone looks out for those who desire to kill. Active shooters should not have to worry about being assaulted by an armed person and should be allowed to carry out their mission without interruption. I appreciate the efforts of our democratic politicians to shift freedoms to everybody regardless of their love for hate and destruction.
You should never rationalize a proposed law of going after known gang members, but also consider the law being applied to examples of the most extreme innocence.
what a load of rubbish! they’ve been abusing that clause for generations. They’ve hit farmers with it even if they only produce and sell within a single state.
IMHO we really do need an insurrection apparently. These fascist jerks are totally out of control and need to be reined in.
Farmers get loads of government subsidies. They’re just welfare queens.
You have no idea about what you speak. The rest of us would like to eat!
Eat bugs and leave real food for the rest of us.
More proof that the democrats are doing everything they can to empower the bad guys and endanger people who seek protection from the deranged, evil actors of the world. No doubt they have deluded themselves with the same illogical and dangerous theory that people should not have a right to protect themselves, their families or friends from a danger that is real and more frequent than we realize. End this ridiculous bill! Garbage can as quickly as possible.
They are far too many on the other side of the aisle to blame this creep solely upon democrats. It’s the uniparty who display allegiance to their master – that are NOT the citizens they were ‘elected’ to represent – but someone else
This is an attempt to get their foot in door to start tearing down the 2nd Amendment. I proudly volunteer as a security person. All I have to say I will continue to watch over the flock until the pastor tells me to stop. I rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6.
Proverbs 23:20