Banks have been working on technology to “identify potential mass shooters” by tracking gun-related purchases and filing “Suspicious Activity Reports” with the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

According to comments made by Amalgamated Bank Chief Executive Officer Priscilla Sims Brown at the New York Times DealBook conference on Wednesday, the strategy would employ credit card companies to more closely track gun purchases, Bloomberg reports.

“We’re at the very early stages of this — this particular code just got approved in October, so those detection scenarios are still being brought together,” said Brown, adding “But as this is implemented, those scenarios will be used.”

The strategy would mirror ways banks try to identify and stop fraudsters from using customers’ funds. 

The International Organization for Standardization approved a new merchant category code earlier this year that banks will use when processing transactions for gun and ammunition stores after Amalgamated submitted an application on the matter. Gun-control advocates were quick to celebrate the move, arguing it would help banks flag suspicious activity at these retailers. -Bloomberg

Banks have come under pressure from Congressional Republicans over what they plan to do with the tracking codes, with conservative policymakers expressing concern that lenders will use the data to create unofficial lists of gun owners in the US.

“What I’m hearing from other banks is that they have been honoring this process and this system, filing Suspicious Activity Reports across a myriad of industries to stop a myriad of crimes — or at least alert authorizes of them,” said Brown. “And I have every confidence that banks are going to do the same thing here.”

This post was originally published at Zero Hedge

Republicans in the Senate have threatened to block the National Defense Authorization Act unless a vote is held on the current COVID vaccine mandate for military personnel.

The effort is being headed up by Florida Senator Rick Scott and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, along with 11 other senators, including Ted Cruz and Mike Lee.

As a veteran & member of @SASCGOP, I fully support our military & have fought hard for big nat'l security wins in the NDAA. But, before this bill moves forward, we must stand with our military members & reverse the @DeptofDefense's COVID vax mandate. U.S. readiness depends on it. pic.twitter.com/DoRgn5cJZh

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) November 30, 2022

Scott told Fox News “I think on the NDAA one thing that’s going to be important is that we don’t give cloture unless they agree that we’re not going to keep kicking people out of the service for their – if they’re unvaccinated,” adding “I think that we’ve got to start standing up for people.”

In a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Senators state “The Department of Defense COVID-19 vaccine mandate has ruined the livelihoods of men and women who have honorably served our country.”

“While the Department of Defense certainly must make decisions that will bolster military readiness, the effects of the mandate are antithetical to readiness of our force, and the policy must be revoked,” the letter further states.

I’m opposing moving forward on the NDAA unless the Senate votes on an amendment to prohibit discharges from the Armed Forces solely because of vaccination status. The amendment will also reinstate service members already discharged w/ back pay. Read more: https://t.co/ejcYF64Koa pic.twitter.com/4qa3Gu74r4

— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) November 30, 2022

During a press conference, Paul stated “The vaccination mandate has forced our nation’s young patriotic men and women to choose between their faith, their medical autonomy and their careers.”

“At a time when the military is struggling to meet targets for recruitment, the administration is firing soldiers we invested in and trained,” Paul further noted.

For five decades now, the NDAA has been viewed as vital legislation for Congress each year, covering spending for the military, including the annual pay raise and new program starts.

Despite attempts to stop mandatory vaccines for active duty personnel, and to uphold exemption rights, the Biden administration has continually pushed for dishonourable discharges and even court martialing for troops who disobey orders to get the shots.

Biden Pushing For Dishonourable Discharges, Court Martials For Troops Who Refuse Vaccines

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House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said during a press conference on Tuesday that Christian conservative Nick Fuentes “has no place” in the Republican Party and his ideology “has no place in society at all” just minutes before claiming the GOP will not “go after people simply because of their political views” when they take back power.

“I don’t think anybody should be spending any time with Nick Fuentes,” McCarthy told the press, referencing Trump’s dinner with Ye and Fuentes. “He has no place in this Republican Party.”

“I condemn his ideology,” McCarthy said, “it has no place in society — at all!”

.@GOPLeader McCarthy: "I don't think anybody should be spending any time with Nick Fuentes. He has no place in this Republican Party. I think President Trump came out four times and condemned him and didn't know who he was…I condemn his ideology." pic.twitter.com/eB4OSnruzi

— CSPAN (@cspan) November 29, 2022

Minutes later, McCarthy was asked: “What do you make of the White House saying they are ‘keeping an eye on’ Twitter under Elon Musk’s ownership and leadership?”

“That is offensive to me,” McCarthy responded. “Government’s gonna go after someone who wants to have free speech? What do they have to look at Twitter about? Do they want to go more after the American public about whether they can have an opinion on something?”

“I think the American public have spoken on this. I think our First Amendment stands up and I think they should stop picking on Elon Musk,” he continued. “You know, Elon Musk has succeeded in many places. I’d bet on him more than government going after him. And I one thing I would say when we talked about accountability, we will no longer let government go after people simply because of their political views.”

.@GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy: "They should stop picking on @elonmusk. Elon Musk has succeeded in many places. I'd bet on him more than government going after you." pic.twitter.com/0fS491rjaO

— CSPAN (@cspan) November 29, 2022

Just over a week ago, McCarthy vowed to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from the House Foreign Affairs Committee because she criticized Israel in the past.

In 2019, McCarthy voted to strip Rep. Steve King (R-IA) from all committees over his political views defending white people and Western civilization.

McCarthy is also a champion of anti-BDS laws which punish Americans for boycotting the foreign state of Israel and blatantly violate the First Amendment.

Despite McCarthy’s claim that the GOP “will no longer let government go after people simply because of their political views,” the truth is he’s eager to use state power to punish Americans for their political views, place them on blacklists and ban them from the political process if they dare to criticize Israel!

This post originally appeared at Information Liberation