LEWISTON, Maine - Maine's 2nd District Congressman Bruce Poliquin says he'll sponsor legislation known as the "No Welfare for Terrorists Act of 2016" to close a loophole in federal law that allows terrorists to collect food stamps.
Poliquin says it's unclear whether a convicted terrorist has ever received welfare because the federal government doesn't track such data. But he says he wants to prevent it from happening in the future.
Poliquin points to the five accomplices to the Boston marathon bombing as one example.
"Those individuals now are serving three-to-six-year prison sentences. When they leave prison they could qualify to receive food stamps," Poliquin said at a press conference in his Lewiston office. "I think this is an insult to Maine taxpayers, to American taxpayers, who may be asked to provide welfare for those who were successful in killing Americans."
Three people were killed in the Boston attack and many others seriously injured. And while the Republican congressman says he generally supports efforts to improve public safety, he says he does not support a bipartisan bill to prevent suspected terrorists from buying guns. Someone convicted of terrorism is not permitted to purchase a gun, and for Poliquin, that makes a difference.
"When it comes to the Second Amendment, as I've said many, many times, is that I support all of our constitutional rights, including our Second Amendment rights. I believe this is something that is very important to our state; it's been affirmed by the Supreme Court," Poliquin said. "But this [No Welfare for Terrorists Act] is a totally separate issue dealing with terrorists who've been incarcerated and are now about to leave prison."
The "Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015" includes provisions to allow those denied a gun purchase to challenge the denial. A recent report from the General Accounting Office found that between 2004 and 2014, more than 2,000 terror suspects legally purchased guns in the United States.
