Washington, D.C., March 17, 2015—Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) released a statement Tuesday on his introduction of legislation to protect Second Amendment rights, through the Firearms Manufacturers and Dealers Protection Act of 2015.

Under the joint Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) program Operation Choke Point, Attorney General Eric Holder was given the means to place immense regulatory pressure on industries deemed ‘high-risk” by cutting off access to the financial institutions they do business with.

“The firearm industry was unjustifiably targeted by the administration and classified as a “high-risk” industry. As a result lawful businesses here in Arizona and around the nation were forced to shut their doors because their access to banking institutions was choked off,” said Schweikert.  

“It is clear that more needs to be done to protect the Second Amendment and to stop the administration’s targeting of the firearm industry,” said Schweikert. “The Firearms Manufacturers and Dealers Protection Act, will fully defund Operation Choke Point and eliminate the potential for similar programs to emerge in the future.”

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CONTACT: Kyle Souza, kyle.souza@mail.house.gov