Senator Portman is a proud defender of the 2nd Amendment and has consistently voted to protect our Constitutional rights. Portman is a gun owner and avid hunter, and whether for protection, recreation, competition, or to ensure our freedoms granted by the Founders, he supports the right of the people to keep and bear arms. He also believes we should work to reduce gun violence through better enforcement of current gun laws, enhancing school security, and ensuring that those who suffer from mental illness—a common thread in attacks—receive proper care.

Portman supported the FIX NICS bill in 2018 to ensure that relevant records from federal agencies, law enforcement, and states are uploaded in to the National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) system.  He also supported the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act to improve school security and prevent school violence. 

Senator Portman remains committed to working with his colleagues to better enforce existing gun laws and go after criminals. For example, he supports increasing penalties for straw purchasers, and he believes Congress should give law enforcement additional tools to go after gun traffickers. We should also work to improve the safety of our schools, and Senator Portman supports the good work being done here in Ohio to provide appropriate training to teachers and administrators who have permission from their local school boards to carry. He also supports doing more to help people who suffer from mental illnesses get the treatment they need and to ensure states are providing timely and accurate data for background checks.