joeendris
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- Mar 17, 2011
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Dear Mr. Endris:
Thank you for contacting my office regarding gun control legislation. I appreciate your views and having the benefit of your opinion.
Every corner of America has been deeply affected by the tragic loss of so many lives in Newtown, Connecticut. We mourn for the enormity of grief and the inconsolable loss visited upon Newtown's families . The senseless attacks at Sandy Hook Elementary School, at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and 18 others in Tucson raise compelling questions about the accessibility of violent weapons in our society. Members from both sides of the aisle have acknowledged that it is time to have a conversation about the accessibility of high capacity weapons in our country. I believe this conversation is long overdue and I am committed to moving forward on meaningful reform in the weeks and months ahead. That is why I recently spoke out on the Floor of the House of Representatives about the Newtown tragedy and the need for tighter gun control laws. Click on the image below to watch video of this speech.
To be clear, I believe that law abiding citizens have a constitutional right to own firearms, whether for sport or personal protection. The right of an individual to bear arms is clearly stated in the Second Amendment of our Constitution and has been repeatedly upheld by the Supreme Court. While I believe that the Constitution confers a right to own firearms, I also believe that our laws should be able to reasonably control gun manufacturing, sale, and usage to ensure that firearms are used safely and responsibly. To that end, I support reinstating the commonsense ban on high capacity magazines like those used in the Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and Tucson shootings. I support reinstating the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004, and I am a cosponsor of the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act (H.R. 138), introduced by Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), among other measures.
H.R. 138 would permanently prohibit for civilian use the transfer, possession, or import of high capacity ammunition feeding devices—defined as a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition—manufactured after the date of enactment of the bill. This targeted ban is intended, not to limit our right to bear arms, but to protect law enforcement and civilians by keeping these high capacity guns, which have virtually no sporting purpose, off the streets. I cosponsored this legislation in the 112th Congress and my support continues in the 113th.
We know that our response to Newtown must not and cannot go the way of the many other senseless acts of violence we almost routinely witness. The tragedy in Newtown must be a call to action. President Obama said he would submit broad new gun control proposals no later than January, and I will be part of the growing coalition calling for real changes that will protect America’s families.
Thank you again for taking the time to be in touch. Please do not hesitate to contact my office in the future with questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Niki Tsongas
Member of Congress
Thank you for contacting my office regarding gun control legislation. I appreciate your views and having the benefit of your opinion.
Every corner of America has been deeply affected by the tragic loss of so many lives in Newtown, Connecticut. We mourn for the enormity of grief and the inconsolable loss visited upon Newtown's families . The senseless attacks at Sandy Hook Elementary School, at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and 18 others in Tucson raise compelling questions about the accessibility of violent weapons in our society. Members from both sides of the aisle have acknowledged that it is time to have a conversation about the accessibility of high capacity weapons in our country. I believe this conversation is long overdue and I am committed to moving forward on meaningful reform in the weeks and months ahead. That is why I recently spoke out on the Floor of the House of Representatives about the Newtown tragedy and the need for tighter gun control laws. Click on the image below to watch video of this speech.
To be clear, I believe that law abiding citizens have a constitutional right to own firearms, whether for sport or personal protection. The right of an individual to bear arms is clearly stated in the Second Amendment of our Constitution and has been repeatedly upheld by the Supreme Court. While I believe that the Constitution confers a right to own firearms, I also believe that our laws should be able to reasonably control gun manufacturing, sale, and usage to ensure that firearms are used safely and responsibly. To that end, I support reinstating the commonsense ban on high capacity magazines like those used in the Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and Tucson shootings. I support reinstating the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004, and I am a cosponsor of the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act (H.R. 138), introduced by Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), among other measures.
H.R. 138 would permanently prohibit for civilian use the transfer, possession, or import of high capacity ammunition feeding devices—defined as a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition—manufactured after the date of enactment of the bill. This targeted ban is intended, not to limit our right to bear arms, but to protect law enforcement and civilians by keeping these high capacity guns, which have virtually no sporting purpose, off the streets. I cosponsored this legislation in the 112th Congress and my support continues in the 113th.
We know that our response to Newtown must not and cannot go the way of the many other senseless acts of violence we almost routinely witness. The tragedy in Newtown must be a call to action. President Obama said he would submit broad new gun control proposals no later than January, and I will be part of the growing coalition calling for real changes that will protect America’s families.
Thank you again for taking the time to be in touch. Please do not hesitate to contact my office in the future with questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Niki Tsongas
Member of Congress