Fairfax, Va. - The National Rifle Association announced its support for critical legislation being introduced in Congress today by Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Representatives Travis Childers (D-Miss.) and Mark Souder (R-Ind.). The Second Amendment Enforcement Act will restore Second Amendment rights to residents of the District of Columbia. This legislation is necessary because the D.C. Council continues to circumvent the Supreme Court’s historic 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller.
Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, said, “It’s a shame that this legislation is even necessary to restore rights that citizens of the District should already have the freedom to exercise. We are grateful that a bipartisan group of members of Congress led by Senators McCain and Tester, and Congressmen Childers and Souder, have taken this significant step to require the D.C. Council to abide by the Heller decision and allow law-abiding citizens in D.C. to protect themselves and their loved ones.”
The Second Amendment Enforcement Act seeks to secure for District residents the rights reinforced by the Supreme Court’s decision in Heller. The legislation would repeal D.C.'s ban on many common semi-automatic firearms, restore the right of self-defense in the home, authorize purchases of firearms and ammunition by D.C. residents, repeal the District's burdensome gun registration requirement and ensure that firearms may be transported and carried for legitimate purposes.
“Since the Heller ruling, the D.C. Council has willfully disregarded the intentions of our nation’s highest court,” Cox continued. “NRA remains committed to restoring the right to self-defense for law-abiding citizens in Washington, D.C. by whatever legal or legislative means necessary.”
The legislation introduced today is similar to the Ensign Amendment adopted by the Senate in 2009, and to the Childers Amendment that passed the House in 2008. Both measures passed their respective chambers with broad bi-partisan majorities.
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Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Four million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services.
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Airdate: 04/29/10
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