VegasGeorge
03-04-2008, 03:54 PM
I just received this letter from our Senator, John Ensign:
Thank you for contacting me about the Second Amendment rights at stake in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. I value the opinion of every Nevadan and am always grateful to those who take the time to inform me of their views. I strongly believe that the individual right to bear arms that is guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution must be protected. The right to bear arms is critical to ensuring that the rest of the individual liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights are maintained. Nevadans have a long history of independence, and this independence is built on freedoms such as the right to bear arms. Nevadans count on their Second Amendment rights to defend themselves and preserve their way of life. Residents of the District of Columbia, our nation's capital and the location of the original U.S. Constitution, deserve the same protection. As you know, the Supreme Court will hear the District of Columbia's appeal of the D.C. Circuit Court's decision in Heller, which determined that the District of Colombia's gun ban is unconstitutional as a violation of individuals' Second Amendment rights. I believe that the D.C. Circuit Court was correct in ruling that the gun ban is unconstitutional. Since the ban was imposed in the 1970s, it has deprived law-abiding citizens in the District of Columbia of the constitutionally protected right to own firearms that are for sporting use and for the lawful defense of their homes and families. I hope that the Supreme Court will affirm the lower court's decision that the gun ban is unconstitutional. Throughout my career in the Senate, I have abstained from joining amicus curiae briefs to the Supreme Court, regardless of the issue they discuss. Accordingly, I did not sign any amicus brief submitted to the Court in relation to the Heller case. Rest assured, however, that I will continue to use my position as a legislator to defend individuals' constitutionally protected right to bear arms. On a related matter, I am an original cosponsor of the District of Columbia Personal Protection Act of 2007 (S. 1001). This legislation would complement the D.C. Circuit Court's ruling in the Heller case by repealing the onerous sections of the District of Columbia's gun laws and would explicitly restrict the ability of the D.C. Council's authority to restrict gun usage or ownership in the future. S.1001 was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, of which I am not a member. Please be assured that I will continue to support legislation that is consistent with your Second Amendment rights. Once again, thank you for contacting me on this very important issue. If you should have any further questions or comments, please feel free to write or e-mail me via my website at http://ensign.senate.gov. Sincerely, JOHN ENSIGN United States Senator
Thank you for contacting me about the Second Amendment rights at stake in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. I value the opinion of every Nevadan and am always grateful to those who take the time to inform me of their views. I strongly believe that the individual right to bear arms that is guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution must be protected. The right to bear arms is critical to ensuring that the rest of the individual liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights are maintained. Nevadans have a long history of independence, and this independence is built on freedoms such as the right to bear arms. Nevadans count on their Second Amendment rights to defend themselves and preserve their way of life. Residents of the District of Columbia, our nation's capital and the location of the original U.S. Constitution, deserve the same protection. As you know, the Supreme Court will hear the District of Columbia's appeal of the D.C. Circuit Court's decision in Heller, which determined that the District of Colombia's gun ban is unconstitutional as a violation of individuals' Second Amendment rights. I believe that the D.C. Circuit Court was correct in ruling that the gun ban is unconstitutional. Since the ban was imposed in the 1970s, it has deprived law-abiding citizens in the District of Columbia of the constitutionally protected right to own firearms that are for sporting use and for the lawful defense of their homes and families. I hope that the Supreme Court will affirm the lower court's decision that the gun ban is unconstitutional. Throughout my career in the Senate, I have abstained from joining amicus curiae briefs to the Supreme Court, regardless of the issue they discuss. Accordingly, I did not sign any amicus brief submitted to the Court in relation to the Heller case. Rest assured, however, that I will continue to use my position as a legislator to defend individuals' constitutionally protected right to bear arms. On a related matter, I am an original cosponsor of the District of Columbia Personal Protection Act of 2007 (S. 1001). This legislation would complement the D.C. Circuit Court's ruling in the Heller case by repealing the onerous sections of the District of Columbia's gun laws and would explicitly restrict the ability of the D.C. Council's authority to restrict gun usage or ownership in the future. S.1001 was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, of which I am not a member. Please be assured that I will continue to support legislation that is consistent with your Second Amendment rights. Once again, thank you for contacting me on this very important issue. If you should have any further questions or comments, please feel free to write or e-mail me via my website at http://ensign.senate.gov. Sincerely, JOHN ENSIGN United States Senator