The Second Amendment
The Second Amendment gives every law-abiding citizen the right to keep and bear arms. As a lifelong hunter and sportsman, I have a sincere appreciation for the lessons gained from responsible gun ownership and use. I deeply respect the freedoms guaranteed to us by the Second Amendment, and will always oppose burdensome regulations that attempt to limit the Constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.
Protecting and Promoting Second Amendment Rights
While in office, I have supported various pieces of legislation that protect Second Amendment rights.
In February 2011, I joined Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) to introduce H.R. 822, the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. This bipartisan legislation would allow any person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm carrying permit or license to carry a concealed handgun in any other state that allows individuals to legally carry a concealed weapon, just as states already recognize drivers’ licenses.
Conceal carry quick facts:
- Today, 48 states have laws permitting concealed carry.
- States with right-to-carry laws have lower violent crimes rates than states that don’t. According to the FBI, states with conceal carry laws have 22% lower total violent crime rate, 30% lower murder rate, 46% lower robberty rate, and 12% lower aggravated assault rate compared to the rest of the country.
- Right-to-carry laws are widely supported by law enforcement officials and groups.
I was a cosponsor of similar legislation in the 111th Congress, H.R. 197. This legislation had more than 200 bipartisan cosponsors.
I have also cosponsored the BATFE Reform and Firearms Modernization Act, which permits the owner of a firearms business 60 days to liquidate inventory if his or her license is expired, surrendered, or revoked. Additionally, I cosponsored the Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act, which eliminates the requirement that a licensee can only conduct business at a gun show in the state specified on the licensee's license.
Promoting Gun Safety Education
Almost half of all American homes have a gun. Proper gun safety education, through programs like the National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program, is one of the most effective ways to prevent gun-related injuries or deaths among children.
I was proud to be able to honor this exemplary program by sponsoring a resolution in the 111th Congress commending the Eddie Eagle program. This resolution had 135 bipartisan cosponsors. I am thankful that programs like Eddie Eagle exist so that my children and millions of others throughout the nation can learn the fundamentals of gun safety.