Voting rights, property rights (the United Nations should not determine land use in the United States), the right to keep and bear arms, the right to life, due process, and your other constitutional rights must be protected. Per the Declaration of Independence, governments are instituted to secure your unalienable rights.
Second Amendment
“… the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
-United States Constitution, Second Amendment
The right to keep and bear arms is an American tradition that predates the foundation of our republic and our Constitution. In colonial times firearms were routinely used for hunting and protection against wild animals. The fact that many of the colonists were skilled in the use of firearms was a significant, and perhaps decisive, factor in America winning independence from England. Had the colonists not been proficient in the use of arms, America may have remained an English colony to this day. Indeed, one of the earliest lessons in American history is the fact that a well armed citizenry cannot be oppressed by a tyrannical government.
In light of American tradition and in light of the American Revolution, there can be little doubt that the founders of our republic and the framers of our Constitution intended that Americans would have the right to keep and bear arms into perpetuity. Nevertheless, in order to provide an additional safeguard, the Second Amendment was ratified effective December 15, 1791 along with the entire Bill of Rights, explicitly guaranteeing the right to keep and bear arms to citizens of the United States of America.
Today, many Americans routinely exercise their right to keep and bear arms. People use firearms for target shooting, hunting, personal defense and collecting. These are all appropriate uses of firearms that must be protected.
Nevertheless, there have been numerous and systematic attempts by the federal, state, and local governments to inappropriately restrict the right of law-abiding American citizens to keep and bear arms. This has occurred in both legislative and judicial forums.
In order to protect your Second Amendment right, I will strenuously oppose legislation designed to infringe upon your right to keep and bear arms. This includes opposing restrictions or limitations on the types or quantities of firearms, ammunition, accessories, knives, and other hand-held weapons that law-abiding citizens should be allowed by law to acquire, purchase, sell, or make for themselves. I will also strenuously oppose legislation designed to prevent law-abiding citizens from carrying arms on their person.
Importantly, I will only support confirmation of United States Supreme Court Justices and other federal judges who make clear from their past record as well as their testimony to the Senate that they will vigorously support the right of the law-abiding American citizen to keep and bear arms without infringement by the government. This is consistent with my view that all Supreme Court Justices and federal judges must support the Constitution as a prerequisite to serving in the judicial branch of the federal government, and the Constitution is very clear that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Similarly, judicial nominees must demonstrate the understanding that we have an unalienable right to defend ourselves. The right to defend ourselves is a derivative of our unalienable right to life.
I will support legislation that allows law-abiding citizens to purchase, possess, carry, and lawfully use firearms, ammunition, knives, and other hand-held weapons in all of the 50 states. This is appropriate given that the right to keep and bear arms is in fact a federal right guaranteed to all of our law-abiding citizens, regardless of where in America they live or travel. At the present time, most states individually issue gun permits for use within their own borders, and some states have reciprocity with other states. However, as many law-abiding gun owners know, traveling outside of one’s home state often results in the need to leave guns used for personal protection and recreation at home. Effectively, this is an infringement upon our right to keep and bear arms. For this reason, I support Senate Bill 2188, the “National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2012” and Senate Bill 2213, the "Respecting States' Rights and Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act."
I will also support legislation allowing law-abiding citizens to carry firearms and other self-defense weapons into national parks and other federal lands and waters in order to protect themselves against dangerous animals and criminals.
I oppose the United States entering into any treaties, such as the proposed United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, that would in any way restrict the Second Amendment right of United States Citizens. For this reason, I support Senate Bill 2205, the "Second Amendment Sovereignty Act."
A well armed citizenry is the best strategy for reducing violent crime and the possibility of terrorism, occupation by a foreign power, and tyranny from our own government. It is one of the planks of my platform which calls for "Peace through Strength."
As your United States Senator, I will vigorously support your Second Amendment right.
