WASHINGTON – Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller that the District’s handgun ban violates the Second Amendment:
“It’s about time this law was struck down. It only makes sense that people should be able to defend themselves in their own homes. The Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights states “the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” It doesn’t mention geographical boundaries. However, for more than 30 years this law has kept guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens in our Nation’s Capital. At the same time the arsenal carried by criminals has grown and intensified and Washington, D.C. has consistently been identified as the “murder capital” of the U.S. The gun ban did little to protect the citizens of the city and instead made them criminals if they chose to protect themselves with a firearm. It also infringed on the rights of hunters, sportsmen and weapons collectors. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn this ineffective and draconian gun ban not only makes sense, it also restores the freedom to all citizens granted by our Constitution.\
I hope this sets a precedent for future Court decisions and that judges on all levels will follow the Constitution when it comes to ruling on an individual’s rights.”
Here is a paragraph from majority opinion of the ruling: “In sum, we hold that the District’s ban on handgun possession in the home violates the Second Amendment, as does its prohibition against rendering any lawful firearm in the home operable for the purpose of immediate self-defense. Assuming that Heller is not disqualified from the exercise of Second Amendment rights, the District must permit him to register his handgun and must issue him a license to carry it in the home.”
To read the entire opinion – click here. |