Dear Dr. McGaw,
Thank you for taking the time to contact me to express your concerns regarding Second Amendment legislation. I appreciate hearing your concerns.
I am saddened to hear that whenever any individual is hurt or killed by the improper use of a firearm; however, ultimately the blame lies solely with the criminal. The solution is not to infringe upon the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens, but instead to hold criminals accountable for their actions, particularly repeat offenders who commit the most violent crimes. Furthermore, like you, I believe Washington and all of America must have a serious debate and honest discussion about what fuels a very small segment of the population to inflict harm and instill fear. This means holding Hollywood accountable for its culture of violence and death. We should talk openly about mental health issues. And also we must stress the responsibilities of families, communi! ties, and the churches to deal with this violence.
I disagree with many members of Congress who believe additional gun control legislation is a means of reducing crime. It is ironic considering many of these same individuals consistently oppose getting tough on crime and punishing perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law. Additionally, during the tenure of the Obama Administration, enforcement of current gun laws has declined substantially — and that is wrong. While there is little evidence to lead me to believe another gun law in Washington would actually prevent criminals from engaging in illegal activity — the evidence is undeniable that tougher enforcement and prosecution would make a huge difference.
As a responsible and law-abiding gun owner, I am committed to standing behind the principles set forth by the Founding Fathers guaranteeing the right to bear arms in the Second Amendment. I oppose efforts by the Obama Administration to prescribe unnecessary, unproven, and unconstitutional gun control mandates on upstanding, law-abiding citizens. Rest assured, should any legislation relating to the Second Amendment come to the floor for a vote, I will keep your thoughts in mind.
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me to express your thoughts. If you haven't already, I encourage you to take a moment to find me on Facebook, follow my personal updates on Twitter and check out my latest speeches and media appearances on YouTube.
Sincerely,
Tim Huelskamp
Member of Congress
