Printz v. United States - Significance

Inasmuch as Printz v. United States was about gun control, it would prove to be a setback for those who wanted to limit citizens' rights to own guns under the Second Amendment. However, Printz was more concerned with freedom from federal interference in local affairs, and as such it represented a small step back from the Court's pro-federal government stance in preceding years. Sheriff Jay Printz himself, having won an earlier round in the battle that took his case before the Supreme Court, told USA Today in 1994 that the Brady Bill was part of " . . . a trend toward federalization. This is just the tip of the iceberg." As for further attempts to strengthen the Brady Act with the proposed "Brady Bill II," he stated, "They're trying to disarm the American public."