A measure recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Michigan, aims to end corporate entities’ ability to profit from taxpayer-funded federal contracts while discriminating against the firearms industry.
HR 45, known as the Firearm Industry Nondiscrimination (FIND) Act, ensures that corporations cannot gain from contracts and subcontracts funded by taxpayers while using their financial power to unfairly discriminate against the firearm industry. The act does not dictate to companies whom they can do business with, but just as companies have the freedom to choose their business partners, the government can make similar decisions when spending taxpayers’ money.
According to Rep. Bergman, large financial institutions and other corporations, many of which benefit from federal contracts, have increasingly adopted policies aimed at undermining the domestic firearm industry—from imposing restrictions on the products they can sell to outright refusing to provide essential services. These policies have effectively limited access to legal firearms well beyond the firearm laws established democratically at the state and federal levels.
The FIND Act was one of four measures introduced by Rep. Bergman on January 7, according to a press release from his office.
“These four pivotal bills have one bottom line: freedom,” Bergman said. “Once passed, the bills will uphold the sanctity of our Second Amendment (FIND Act), provide a voice to those who have been victims of illegal immigrant crime and the Biden Border crisis (VOICE Act), expand broadband connectivity opportunities for our remote communities (Rural Broadband Window of Opportunity Act), and help keep our rural hospitals open (Rural 340B Access Act). It’s imperative that our communities are empowered with the resources necessary to thrive, and these bills I’m introducing will do just that. Each bill is designed to protect our freedoms in the First District and lift our entire region up.”
Not unexpectedly, pro-gun rights and industry groups—including the influential NRA and the NSSF—swiftly supported the FIND Act.
“The National Rifle Association applauds Rep. Bergman’s efforts to prevent Americans’ tax dollars from going to corporations that are looking to curtail the Second Amendment,” said John Commerford, executive director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). “This bill would prevent corporations from profiting from taxpayer funds while simultaneously using their power in the marketplace to undermine the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”
In a lengthy news item explaining the measure, the NSSF noted that similar laws have been enacted in nine states, and that it’s time for the federal government to get on board.
“This legislation is critical to ensuring ‘woke’ corporations don’t use their financial might, funded by taxpayers, to deny essential services to the firearm industry,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. “Corporations, in particular financial institutions, have been dictating public policies from boardrooms that throttle firearm businesses, which are Constitutionally protected. This bill will no longer allow those corporations to benefit from taxpayer dollars while at the same time using those funds to deny Americans their Second Amendment rights.”
