Last year, Klobuchar filed a bipartisan amicus brief in United States v. Rahimi urging the Supreme Court to uphold the constitutionality of existing protections for domestic violence survivors

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the statement below following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the law 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), which prohibits the possession of firearms by persons subject to domestic-violence restraining orders. 

“Victims of domestic abuse and their families deserve peace of mind and certainty that their abuser will not have access to firearms. There is a decades-long history of bipartisan support for these common sense and lifesaving protections, which is why I submitted a bipartisan amicus brief in this case urging the Court to uphold the law. This was the right decision that upholds a common sense law that has been in place for 30 years. Even with today’s outcome, we know there is more work to be done, including passing my bill to fully close the boyfriend loophole and preventing convicted stalkers from buying or owning firearms.”

Klobuchar has long led efforts to prevent gun violence and secure protections for domestic violence survivors. 

In August 2023, Klobuchar was joined by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) in filing an amicus brief in United States v. Rahimi urging the Supreme Court to uphold the constitutionality of existing protections for victims of domestic violence. The brief which was filed highlights the history of bipartisan support for common sense limits on the ability of domestic abusers to access firearms and the harms that invalidating those restrictions would cause. The full brief is available HERE.

Provisions from her bill with Rep. Dingell to close the ‘boyfriend loophole’ and prevent abusive dating partners from buying or owning firearms were included in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act signed into law by President Biden last year. 

In February 2023, Klobuchar, Dingell, and Fitzpatrick introduced updated bipartisan, bicameral legislation to strengthen provisions closing the ‘boyfriend loophole.’ The Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act prevents convicted stalkers and all former dating partners convicted of a domestic violence offense from buying or owning firearms, regardless of when the relationship occurred.

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