Response from Fitzpatrick on HB 2569

**das** · August 22nd, 2012, 07:39 PM

August 22, 2012

Dear Dominic,

Thank you for contacting me about your Second Amendment rights. I appreciate learning your views on this issue and welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you know, the Second Amendment provides law abiding citizens with the individual constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Unfortunately, all too often, responsible gun owners have been punished for the wrongdoing of criminals and have seen their constitutionally expressed Second Amendment rights infringed. Legislation must stop targeting hunters, responsible gun owners, and gun manufacturers, and instead focus on the real problem - criminals’ illegal use of firearms. I will continue to oppose any and all efforts to deny responsible citizens their constitutionally protected right to bear arms.

You may be interested to know that I co-sponsored and voted in favor of H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. H.R. 822 allows a person with a valid state-issued concealed carry permit (CCP) or license to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that also allows CCPs or does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms.

I am also a co-sponsor of H.R. 420, the Veterans' Heritage Firearms Act. This bill would provide amnesty for veterans and family members to register war relic firearms without fear of prosecution.

Finally, I am also supported H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen's Heritage Act. The legislation combined a number of other bills already introduced in the House of Representatives to expand recreational hunting, shooting and fishing opportunities while also protecting sportsmen from unnecessary regulations. Recreational fishing and hunting are important and traditional activities for millions of Americans. Pennsylvania has a proud history of fishing and hunting, and it is important that these recreational activities are protected from unnecessary regulation.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If you have further questions, or need assistance in another matter, please call my office at 202-225-4276.

Sincerely,

Mike Fitzpatrick

Mike Fitzpatrick
Member of Congress

**das** · August 22nd, 2012, 07:42 PM

Should we make this a reply thread about responses from our reps?

**mikelets456** · August 23rd, 2012, 09:02 AM

As I was reading through his response I started wondering, why do we have all these bills for a Constitutional Right that "shall not be questioned"? Don't misunderstand me, I appreciate his gun stance, but what these bills do is break down a Right "without question" to a "right with questions".

Would we be excited if we started seeing bills sponsored on free speech? FS-129875B---the Veterans war protected speech. Veterans can freely speak about their experiences without being told to shut up.

FS-109253-B:Tell your Rep what you feel bill. You're able to speak freely at town hall meetings.

If this we the case, would we be excited? No... It just seems that even in support of the 2A, it's being divided up so there IS questioning and further confusion.I don't know, Maybe it's me.....

**dsnover** · August 23rd, 2012, 11:54 AM

I've often wondered about this myself. However, it's where we are at _right now_, and so we must work to have things restored to their rightful place. The courts aren't generally inclined to work our favor unless forced to, despite the language of the PA Constitution and US Constitution being STUPIDLY CLEAR.

Originally Posted by mikelets456

As I was reading through his response I started wondering, why do we have all these bills for a Constitutional Right that "shall not be questioned"? Don't misunderstand me, I appreciate his gun stance, but what these bills do is break down a Right "without question" to a "right with questions".

Would we be excited if we started seeing bills sponsored on free speech? FS-129875B---the Veterans war protected speech. Veterans can freely speak about their experiences without being told to shut up.

FS-109253-B:Tell your Rep what you feel bill. You're able to speak freely at town hall meetings.

If this we the case, would we be excited? No... It just seems that even in support of the 2A, it's being divided up so there IS questioning and further confusion.I don't know, Maybe it's me.....