Summary
Transcript
We at Blackout Coffee have been working on a new product for a very, very long time, and it is finally ready to announce, and the launch is imminent. Here’s a quick picture of it, guys and gals. We have been working a long time to get this right. We now have what we’re calling RTD, ready to drink coffee. These are cold brew in a can, and the first two we’re going to launch are blueberry latte, which tastes absolutely amazing. And don’t want flavor? Boom! We got you with the cold brew latte as well. What we’re doing for you, our customers, the ones who have been backing us forever, we are offering 25% off of the first 100 pre-orders.
Get on it now. People have been pre-ordering since our announcement last evening. They’re going to fly off the shelves. These are phenomenal. And you can grab them and go. It’s cold. It’s great. Let us know what you think about it. We’ve been working for a long time. Head over to blackoutcoffee.com slash gng and secure your order of our new ready-to-go coffee. I love it. That’s good stuff. All right, so the Veterans Affairs, VA, they were on the hot seat Monday in Congress. I want to let you hear right from his mouth what he said. It will be right back to talk about the recourse of what he said.
And Congress is even like, whoa, do you know what you just said? Check it out. He stated that if the Veterans Second Amendment Restoration Act is signed into law, and this is even more troubling, the VA could not comply because the VA states the Department of Justice and Executive Branch Agency affirmed VA’s interpretation of the Brady Act. So is it the VA’s position that the VA will not comply with an act of Congress based on another agency’s interpretation of the law? So the VA has always worked to comply with all laws. We complied with the Brady-Handgun Act when it was in fact the law.
So again, is the VA’s position, because based on the statement they could not comply with the Restoration Act, the Veterans Second Amendment Restoration Act, is it your position that you will not comply with an act of law passed by Congress? Yes, sir. I guess based off of what you have in testimony, yes, sir. That you would not comply? Yes, sir. Well, I’m glad everybody hears that on the record that the VA is going to refuse to comply with, regardless of what we actually pass here, including questions that Representative Self was just asking in view of the Chevron Act being passed.
Mr. Chair, I have just a couple more questions, but I think that Mr. Friel has incriminated himself and the VA that they’re not going to have complete disregard for what we’re going to do anyway. Mr. Friel, you’re very well aware of how you just answered the Congressman’s question, correct? As I said, it’s in our testimony that we would have trouble complying with that law, as I said. Mr. Friel, are you very well aware of how you answered the Congressman’s question? Yes, sir. Pretty bold, pretty brazen to tell the Committee on Veterans Affairs in the House of Representatives.
Representatives, you know what? We’re not going to follow your laws. We’re a bureaucratic agency that does what we want. Does it sound familiar? ATF looking at you. So, what are they talking about? If you’re new to this channel, I’ve covered this for years because this issue that our representatives are looking to fix with an actual law has been an issue of policy with executive orders from the last few presidents. Under the Obama administration, they launched an attack on the gun rights of veterans, where they were looking to report veterans to the NICS system as prohibited persons if they needed some help with things like fiduciary duties.
Meaning, if the veteran needed somebody just to help them run the checkbook and keep things in balance. Many people do that. I am not good with numbers. I make the money. My wife does the accounting and stuff like that in the home. So, if you’re in a situation like that and you just happen to say that during one of your VA encounters. Now, there’s a box on a form that actually says that, you know, do you need help fiduciary duties? And if you check that, boom, you are now a prohibited person. So, I can’t tell you all what to do on your official government forms, but I would recommend you know the repercussions of what you’re filling out.
Just leave it like that. That way, I don’t get anybody in trouble. I am not an attorney. I’m just telling you that the VA, during the Obama administration, were ordered to take away your rights if you needed help paying bills. And some other small items things where like PTSD and stuff like that, even if you have been undergoing treatment and you’re fine, they want to take your Second Amendment rights. Forever. So, Trump was elected and then Trump rescinded that and then Biden was selected and Biden reinstituted that. So, our friends that are too savvy in the House, with the help of gun owners of America, they work together and they put forth this bill and it’s going through the process.
And the committee of the Veterans Affairs asked the VA directly, hey, you’re going to comply with this and stop what you’re doing before we’re about to ruin. And they were like, man, no, dude, we’re not going to do it, dog. We’re going to keep taking people’s rights. And as you can imagine, the fallout has begun. Here’s a letter from the committee on the VA, and it was sent to the Honorable Dennis McDonough, who’s the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. And this was sent yesterday, and this is what it said. Dear Secretary McDonough, we write to you today to express our deep concern regarding testimony from the Department of Veteran Affairs witness during yesterday’s House Committee on Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Legislative Hearing.
The witness testified under oath that the department will not comply with the proposed Veterans Second Amendment Restoration Act of 2024 if it were enacted. Simply put, this is unacceptable. As co-equal branches of government, we trust you agree that the provisions of the bills Congress passes and the president signs into law are not merely suggestions, they are mandatory. The Veterans Second Amendment Restoration Act of 2024 mandates the VA to notify the U.S. Attorney General of any transmissions of veterans’ personal information to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check system. This would apply to any veteran who was assigned a fiduciary to assist them with their VA benefits.
But who has not had any judicial court order or finding that they are a danger to themselves or others, which would be improper under the current law? As you know, the U.S. Attorney General must update, correct, modify, or remove all such NICS records within 30 days of receiving VA’s notice. However, this bill does not guarantee that veterans listed in NICS for reasons other than being assigned a fiduciary by the VA will be removed from the NICS list, thus allowing them to purchase firearms. In VA’s July 10th written testimony, the department stated that if this bill is signed into law, VA could not comply.
Because the Department of Justice, an executive branch agency, has interpreted the law as saying that veterans who have fiduciaries to help them handle their VA benefits have been adjudicated as mental defective and therefore must be reported to NICS. As such, at yesterday’s hearing, we asked VA’s witness whether it was indeed the Biden administration’s position that VA would not comply with an act of Congress because of an executive branch agency’s interpretation of the law. Alarmingly, VA’s witness confirmed several times it is VA’s position that it will not comply with this policy if the bill was enacted. When Congress passes a bill that definitively overturns an executive branch agency’s interpretation of the law, the new law takes precedence, replacing the agency’s interpretation.
Simply, Congress makes the law, and executive branch agencies are tasked with enforcing those laws. Separation of powers between Congress, the executive branch, and judicial branch is the bedrock of our nation’s government and democracy, regardless of which political party controls the White House. VA, like all agencies, is constitutionally prohibited from selectively ignoring laws. Refusal by the VA to execute the will of Congress and therefore the will of the American people is a gross overreach of the executive branch and will not be tolerated. We insist that by no later than July 18, 2024, you submit to us your assurance that if Congress passes the Veterans Second Amendment Restoration Act of 2024, VA will comply with that act of Congress.
Should you have any questions regarding this request, please contact committee staff. Sincerely, Morgan Latrell, who is the chairman and the twin brother of Mark, Eli Crane, Keith Self, and Matthew Rosendale. So, good on GOA for getting this bill going and getting enough backing to where it looks like it’s going to pass the House. We’ll see how the Senate operates. But now, here’s what I want you to do if you’re a veteran who utilizes VA benefits. Actually, if you’re a veteran, period, who does, even whether or not you use VA benefits, I don’t use VA benefits because there are guys and gals out there who really need it and I don’t want to take anything from them.
And I know there’s a lot more that do that as well. But regardless of whether or not you use the VA, get on the horn. Like, really, people think that, yeah, it’s not going to do anything. Get on the horn and pressure them. Let them know what you think about this. And be careful how you say it because you don’t want to be red flagged, right, from your state. But get on the horn. It’s area code 202-224-3121. Ask for your representative in the House of Representatives, the switchboard lady, or usually women every time I call, but they’ll transfer you to that office.
And you’re going to talk to an aide who’s a young buck working in the office and tell them what you think about VA’s outright refusal to follow an act of Congress if enacted and turned into law. I think it’s pretty brazen. I think it kind of shows you what this country’s kind of trending towards, which is why I want you guys and gals to get trained up. Seriously, training, training, training. Don’t just buy a gun, throw it in the safe, and think that, God forbid, you need to use it. You’re going to be very proficient. And training doesn’t mean I go to the range once or twice a month and put a box of ammo down the range.
Training means go to an instructor, a good instructor. There are tons out there. If you’re in Tennessee, East Tennessee, go see my friend Reed Henricks over at Vala Ridge. There are other great schools all around this country. I’ve been to Thunder Ranch. I’ve been to different places all around this country. I’ve trained with people who have war time and give us that training as well. So, guys and gals, I hate the way the country is trending. It’s time for everybody to get involved. I appreciate you all. Check us out at Blackout Coffee, our new ready-to-drink cans are coming.
I can’t wait. I can’t wait. I’ve been working hard for this. So, when you get them, let us know what you think. Be safe, stay vigilant, carry a gun to keep you, your friends, your family, your community safe. That’s what the Second Amendment is for. Not for hunting. Not for planking. It’s for all enemies, foreign and domestic. Take care. [tr:trw].