Claim: "In 1790, the first Congress, which was packed with framers, required all ship owners to provide medical insurance for seamen; in 1798, Congress also required seamen to buy hospital insurance for themselves. In 1792, Congress enacted a law mandating that all able-bodied citizens obtain a firearm."
Fact-check: Harvard Law professor says early Congress mandated health insurance for seamen and gun ownership for most men
Verdict: mostly-true
Organisation: PolitiFact
Author: C. Eugene Emery Jr.
Date published: 2012-01-13T00:00:00