Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the 2nd Amendment and your opposition to the regulation of firearms. I appreciate your input on this issue and welcome the opportunity to respond to you directly.
I believe that we can respect the Second Amendment as a collective right, while also implementing reforms that remove weapons of war from our streets, keep guns out of the hands of those who are a threat to others or themselves, and require gun owners to take basic precautions. As a Marine, I slept, ate, trained, and patrolled with an assault weapon for four years – these weapons of war have no place on our streets or near our schools.
Every day, more than 100 Americans are killed with guns, and more than 230 are shot and wounded. Fifty-eight percent of American adults or someone they care for have experienced gun violence in their lifetime. These numbers are unacceptable. We need common-sense gun laws to protect the lives and safety of all Americans.
Massachusetts has the most comprehensive gun safety legislation in the United States, and we have the lowest per capita rate of gun ownership in the nation. Research suggests that if Massachusetts gun legislation were adopted nationwide, over 25,000 lives would be saved. Common sense reforms, like background checks and safe storage laws, keep everyone safer.
While we disagree on this issue, I respect your deeply held beliefs and truly appreciate the opportunity to share my views with you.
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me about this important issue. Your comments help me to better represent the people of our Congressional District. Please do not hesitate to email me through my website at
www.auchincloss.house.gov or call my office at (202) 225-5931 if I can be of any further assistance to you.