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I agree that we must stand together and defend the US Constitution and protect all our rights as Americans. I am a co-sponsor of Rep. Metcalfe's bill, HB 357. I will do everything I can in Harrisburg to protect not only our 2nd amendment rights, but all our rights, here in PA and in the US. Should any legislation come to the floor for a vote, I will keep your thoughts in mind. I also encourage you to contact all of your state and federal elected officials, if you have not done so already.

Thanks for your email,
Dan Moul
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
91st Legislative District
G-32 Irvis Office Building
Gettysburg: 717-334-3010
Harrisburg: 717-783-5217

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Thank you for expressing your concerns regarding your Second Amendment rights and your thoughts on the continuing gun control discussions. It is certainly important to consider the best ways to prevent violent acts in our society, and having your input is beneficial to me.

Many of the legislative recommendations made by the "Biden Task Force," announced by President Obama on January 16, 2013, will fall under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on the Judiciary, on which I serve. With any response, Congress must respect the Constitution, which we have sworn an oath to support and defend, and the rights of law-abiding Americans. In particular, my support for preserving the rights afforded under the Second Amendment is longstanding and strong. The Second Amendment specifically states that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed," and I have always supported and defended this constitutional right It is my firm belief that citizens should not be prohibited from protecting themselves, their family, or their property from harm, and that criminals, rather than law-abiding citizens, should be punished for crimes committed. As specific proposals come before the Committee and House for consideration, please know that I will remember your views, and that I welcome your continued involvement and feedback

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January 30, 2013







Dear SSgt. Clayton,



Thank you for contacting me to express your support for H.R. 35, the Safe Schools Act of 2013. I appreciate having the benefit of your views on this important issue.



As you may know, H.R. 35 was introduced by Representative Steve Stockman (R-TX) on January 3, 2013. This legislation would repeal provisions making it unlawful to possess or discharge a firearm in a school zone.



H.R. 35 was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Please be assured that I will keep your support in mind should this legislation come before the full House of Representatives for a vote. I will also work with my colleagues to address the violence that seems to permeate our culture, ensure that our children and teachers are safe at school, and make certain that those with significant mental challenges are being appropriately identified, diagnosed, and treated so to prevent tragedies, like Sandy Hook, from taking place.



Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions or concerns. I also encourage you to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and at www.billjohnson.house.gov , so that you may keep track of my most recent work in Congress. I look forward to hearing from you in the future.



Sincerely,

Bill Johnson
Member of Congress

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Dear George,

Thank you for contacting me to express your views about the President's gun control proposals. It is good to hear from you.

As you know, President Obama recently issued 23 executive actions and endorsed gun control legislative initiatives following the terrible tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

I had hoped President Obama would look to address the root causes of senseless acts of violence and work with Congress to develop a comprehensive plan to lessen the likelihood of these kinds of tragic incidents in the future. Unfortunately, the President has chosen to act unilaterally wherever he can and focus on new gun bans which I believe would undermine the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

In response to tragic attacks like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary, I remain committed to ensuring that those who suffer from mental illness, a common thread in these instances, receive proper care, that current gun laws are enforced, and that school safety is enhanced as we address the deeper issue of violence in our society.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact my office. For more information, please visit my website at www.portman.senate.gov . Please keep in touch. EMAIL.BEGINHIDE.MERGE



Sincerely,
Rob Portman
U.S. Senator

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Dear Ole Humpback,

Thank you for taking the time to contact me concerning gun control, especially in the wake of the horrific tragedy that occurred recently in Newtown, Connecticut. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in response to this tragic event.

As you know, in the wake of this tragedy, discussion has focused on gun control and restrictions, along with how to provide much needed care to individuals with a mental illness, at both the state and the federal level. The 118th Indiana General Assembly convened on January 7, 2013. While it is likely that there will be bills authored regarding gun control and mental health, there are a broad number of opinions on this issue and I would expect a lot of discussion before any action is taken. One of my top priorities has always been ensuring a safe learning environment for Hoosier students. Along with keeping our students safe, I ensure you that I will protect my constituent's second amendment rights, and will make sure that our right to bear arms is secure. If I have the opportunity to hear debate and vote on these issues, I will consider all solutions.

Again, thank you for contacting me and expressing your stance on this issue. If you have any other legislative issues or concerns please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Sincerely,

Hal Slager
State Representative
House District 15

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Dear Representative Slager,

I thank you for your reply to me about the current legislative environment in regards to the Newtown, CT tragedy. I implore you consider all options in the context of what is best for the Second Amendment rights of Hoosier's and their access to mental health care, not what is politically correct at the moment. I have been reviewing the proposals that this nation's US Congressmen have introduced in Congress and found them to be severely lacking in constitutionality & fairness to both law abiding gun owners and people with mental health issues.

As a law abiding gun owner who enjoys hunting & competitive shooting sports, I would be turned into a criminal as all the firearms that I currently own for hunting (which ARE NOT military style weapons in any way, shape, or form) would be classified as "assault weapons" under all legislation that has currently been introduced into Congress for committee's to consider. I find it offensive that many in Congress and State Legislatures in this country claim to support my Right to Keep and Bear Arms yet they insist that I only be allowed to own certain firearms so as to not pose a threat to others. Each firearm I own I bought because it addressed a specific hunting or shooting sport need, now Congress wants to criminalize my law abiding ownership of hunting & sporting firearms because they have features which they are using to define what an assault weapon should be defined as, not what an assault weapon is defined as.

As a person who has been treated for Attention Deficit, Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), which according to the National Institute of Health is a "problem with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination", I find the current proposals for improving access to mental health care for people as well as supplementing the National Instant Check System (NICS) with mental health care data from mental health care providers to be both lacking and illegal. Due to the stereotypes surrounding people with mental health concerns and the fact that supplementing the NICS with mental health care information from providers is a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality, I ask that the discussion on reforming mental health care be thoroughly researched & studied by legislators, health care providers, and health care insurers before any legislation is contemplated. The last thing that we as Hoosier's and American's need for mental health care is a repeat of the disaster that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has turned out to be.

Sincerely,

Ole Humpback

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Dear Ole Humpback:

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns regarding gun control proposals in response to the recent shooting in Connecticut. I appreciate hearing from you.

I was shocked and heartbroken to learn of the horrific shooting that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the victims of these attacks and their families for their unfathomable loss. As this marks the seventh mass shooting in the United States in 2012 alone, I firmly believe that Congress must take decisive action to prevent such senseless tragedies from happening again.

While I support the possession of legal firearms by responsible law abiding citizens, I am opposed to the availability of military assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices, which pose serious threats to public safety and the law enforcement officers who risk their lives protecting us.

That is why, in the 103rd Congress, I supported the assault weapons ban, which prohibited the manufacture, transfer, or possession of semi-automatic assault weapons, including those with a large capacity ammunition feeding device. I deeply regret that President Bush allowed this ban to expire in 2004. Also in the 103rd Congress, I supported passage of the Brady Act, currently known as the national instant criminal background check system, which requires background checks for all firearm transfers and purchases. I would note that the Constitutionality of these laws have never been challenged before the Supreme Court.

You may be interested to know that Rep. Carolyn McCarthy has introduced H.R. 138, the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act, which would reinstate the ban on semi-automatic weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices. Specifically, the measure would prohibit the transfer or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, except for its lawful possession within the United States on or before the date of this Act's enactment, and by law enforcement officers. The measure also would prohibit the importation of such a device, and would require large capacity ammunition feeding devices to be identified by serial numbers.

H.R. 138 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, where it is currently pending consideration. The measure has 64 cosponsors, and a similar measure has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Feinstein. The Senate measure, S. 150, has 17 cosponsors and was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

Most recently, on January 16, 2013, President Obama announced a comprehensive proposal to prevent future tragedies. Specifically, the proposal calls on Congress to enact legislation to require criminal background checks for all gun sales, reinstate the assault weapons ban, restore a ten-round limit on ammunition magazines, eliminate armor-piercing bullets, provide mental health services in schools, and allocate funds to hire more police officers.

Because these recommendations require Congressional approval, the President supplemented this proposal with 23 separate executive actions which will take effect immediately. These actions include providing law enforcement officials and school officials with better training for active shooting situations, establishing incentives to improve information sharing on background checks, directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence, and committing to finalizing mental health parity regulations. The President's executive actions seek to strengthen existing laws related to guns, mental health, and safety.

As the nation continues to make sense of the tragedy at Sandy Hook, I hope that our country will have a serious and thoughtful discussion to ensure that we find a proper balance between Americans' right to own guns and the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Thank you again for contacting me. Do not hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Peter J. Visclosky
Member of Congress

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Thank you for contacting me regarding Second Amendment rights. I appreciate that you took the time to write on this important topic.
Responsible gun ownership is an integral part of our Western heritage. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides for an individual right, and I am dedicated to protecting the rights of citizens to own firearms for personal protection, hunting, collecting or for other legal purposes.
We can all agree that the shootings at Columbine High School; Virginia Tech; in Aurora; Tucson, AZ; Newtown, CT and other instances in which terrible crimes have been committed with guns are national tragedies that should concern us all. No single policy is going to be adequate in preventing gun tragedies in the future. We need comprehensive solutions that examine our culture's glorification of violence, the effectiveness of our laws, our ability to enforce those laws and access to firearms, especially those designed for the battlefield. We must do everything we can - consistent with the Second Amendment - to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals, the mentally ill and those who would turn them against their community. As legislation related to Second Amendment rights is debated, I will carefully examine its intentions and impacts and use your thoughts to help guide me.
I will continue to listen closely to what you and other Coloradans have to say about matters before Congress, the concerns of our communities, and the issues facing Colorado and the nation. My job is not merely about supporting or opposing legislation, but also about bridging the divide that has paralyzed our nation's politics. For more information about my positions and to learn how my office can assist you, please visit my website at www.markudall.senate.gov.

Warm regards,
Mark Udall
U.S. Senator, Colorado

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quietsage said:

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution establishes the right to bear arms, which more commonly means owning or possessing a firearm.

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Thank you for contacting me to share your views on proposals to reduce gun violence. I appreciate hearing from you.

No one can deny that gun violence is a serious problem in this country today. We owe it to the victims of the growing number of mass shootings to vigorously debate specific and comprehensive proposals that can keep our communities safer. The right approach focuses on many issues - improvements to the mental health system, better security protocols and common sense rules about gun use, including keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals.

When I was on the Richmond City Council in the 1990s, our city was mired in an epidemic of gun violence that included the city having the second-highest homicide rate in the United States. The most successful step we took was implementing Project Exile, a program that involved federal prosecution and tougher penalties for gun crimes that were previously treated more leniently in state courts. Celebrated by diverse groups engaged in the gun violence debate - including the National Rifle Association and the Brady Campaign - the program helped drive down Richmond's homicide rate by nearly 60 percent within a few years.

In 2007, the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech revealed glaring weaknesses in campus security protocols at colleges and universities, in our mental health system and the gun background check system for gun purchases. In a bipartisan spirit, I worked with then-Attorney General Bob McDonnell to immediately improve our background check system and issued an executive order ensuring that those adjudicated to be mentally ill and dangerous would be entered into a national database and barred from purchasing weapons. We also changed standards for mental health treatment and increased funding for community health programs while dramatically improving campus security and efforts to assist college students suffering from mental stress.

In January I attended a round-table event in Richmond with Vice President Biden on gun violence, to talk about the lessons learned in Virginia and the need for a comprehensive approach to these problems. As your U.S. Senator, I will work to bring that kind of comprehensive approach that will strengthen the safety of our communities, while protecting our Second Amendment rights. As a gun owner who worked with others to constitutionally guarantee Virginians the right to hunt, I know that you can be a strong supporter of the Second Amendment without tolerating the gun tragedies that are too often a part of our daily lives.

Concerning specific proposals, I am a strong supporter of universal background record checks. This is the only way we can enforce existing laws that prohibit dangerous individuals from purchasing guns. I am open to supporting legislation placing reasonable limits on high capacity magazines, combat-style weapons and gun trafficking if they are carefully drafted.

Please be assured that I will keep your views in mind as Congress continues to debate strategies to reduce gun violence. Thank you once again for contacting me.

Sincerely,


Tim Kaine

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Well, Gwen, I'm a strong Second Amendment rights supporter. I own firearms. On my farm, I have actually got shooting range.

But Friday afternoon, my daughters, who had all come home from college, said, dad, you know, how did this happen? And what are you going to do about it?

And just as a father, the horror of what happened in Connecticut coming on the heels of tragedies at Virginia Tech years before, the tragedy in Colorado, and it seems like about every six or nine months, one of these incidents happening in America, makes me say, you know, enough is enough. There's got to be a rational way to sort through this...

I think that, from the evidence I have seen, that a lot of the challenge comes around the speed by which you can shoot, in effect, these multiple magazines in terms of how rapidly they can be discharged.

Now, there's a whole series of different negotiations about what qualifies as an assault weapon and what doesn't. I think there will be time for that kind of conversation.

We have got to find a way to sort through to where there is an ability for law-abiding citizens still to possess firearms -- nobody is going to take away your shotgun -- but to make sure that these kinds of weapons that in many cases were developed for our military and have become extraordinarily, lethally effective killing machines for our military are now in the hands of people that are just not appropriate...

What are the instruments here that are being used? Are there guns that were developed by the military as technology has advanced and has allowed our soldiers to become better, more effective in Iraq and Afghanistan? Should all of those weapons be able to be slightly modified and then sold on a commercial market?

What kind of -- how much restraint does it put on a lawful target shooter if they want to have to change out a clip after every 10 shells or -- 10 or 15 shells? I'm not sure what the right number should be here...

But I do think that simply saying that the status quo is acceptable and bemoaning another tragedy six or nine months from now, without any real close examination of seeing what laws and rules and regulations need to be changed, would be a real mistake and wouldn't do -- wouldn't be the appropriate honoring the legacy of those poor kids that lives were taken.

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