http://www.gunowners.org/paul2bush.htm
Rep. Paul Letter to Pres. Bush Re: Semi-auto Ban
April 30, 2003
Dear Colleague:
Two weeks ago, Bush spokesman Scott McClellan declared the following statement in regards to the semi-auto ban: "The President supports the current law, and he supports reauthorization of the current law." Yet, in 1995, a majority of the House of Representatives, including most of your bosses, voted to repeal the assault weapons ban! Please co-sign this letter with me to send a strong message to the President that the House of Representatives does NOT support the reauthorization of this ban and instead welcome its end. If you are interested in co-signing the attached letter, please have your staff contact either Anamarie Pratt or Norman Singleton at 5-2831.
Sincerely,
Ron Paul
*****************************
April 30, 2003
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We are writing to request the administration oppose reauthorization of the Clinton-Feinstein-Schumer ban on certain semi-automatic weapons. This ban infringes on the rights of law-abiding citizens and serves no legitimate purpose. Mr. President, please defend the Second Amendment and publicly state your strong opposition to any reauthorization of the ban.
We were thoroughly dismayed by the statement of your spokesman, Scott McClellan, that you support the reauthorization of the 1994 ban on scores of semi-automatic weapons and on magazines with greater than ten round capacity. As you know, the ban was part of President Clinton's prized crime bill, the "Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994," which passed Congress by a very slim majority. In fact, it is highly unlikely that the semi-auto ban would have passed both chambers without the sunset clause.
It is interesting to note that Senator Feinstein and then-Representative Schumer were the original sponsors of the ban, and in 1995 the House of Representatives actually voted to repeal the ban! The semi-auto ban was a major part of a fanatical anti-gun agenda to ban legitimate firearms, which was repudiated in the elections of 1994 and 2000. It is now time for us to stand up against this unconstitutional gun-grabbing and help our nation in this time of great need by allowing law-abiding citizens to use the weapon of their choice.
The semi-auto ban is useless in preventing violent crime. Contrary to the propaganda of gun control supporters, only a very small percentage of crimes were committed with so-called assault weapons. If you want to lower crime, then make sure the federal courts are not hamstringing state and local governments from putting (and keeping) the guilty offenders in prison. Furthermore, at a time of increased threats of terrorism, sniper attacks, and other forms of violent crime, the last thing the federal government should do is continue preventing citizens from protecting themselves with the weapons they find most effective for their cause. Whether it be for self-defense, target practice, hunting or other lawful purposes, the federal government is prohibited by the Second Amendment from telling people what types of arms they can, and cannot, "keep and bear."
It is important to note that the term "assault" rifle is really a misnomer as a true assault rifle is a selective fire weapon capable of switching from fully automatic to semi-automatic and back with the flip of a lever. In addition to that, the charge that the assault rifle holds more rounds than a "legitimate" hunting rifle is a twisting of the facts, as 10, 20 and 30 round magazines for "legitimate" hunting rifles have been on the market for decades. These rifles banned in 1994 are little different than the semi-automatic hunting rifles that have been on the market since World War II. For what purpose are we now banning such fine weapons?
We are sure we need not remind you that a large and active part of our constituency supports the right to keep and bear arms. It will be a slap in the face to these millions of law-abiding gun owners if this White House and Congress support renewal of the semi-auto ban.
Mr. President, we are asking that you listen to the will of the people, that you keep your oath to defend the Constitution and do what is right. Support the sunset clause and let the American citizens buy and use what was rightfully theirs.
Sincerely,
CC:
Speaker Dennis Hastert
Hon. Tom Delay
Hon. Bill First
Hon. Mitch McConnell
Rep. Paul Letter to Pres. Bush Re: Semi-auto Ban
April 30, 2003
Dear Colleague:
Two weeks ago, Bush spokesman Scott McClellan declared the following statement in regards to the semi-auto ban: "The President supports the current law, and he supports reauthorization of the current law." Yet, in 1995, a majority of the House of Representatives, including most of your bosses, voted to repeal the assault weapons ban! Please co-sign this letter with me to send a strong message to the President that the House of Representatives does NOT support the reauthorization of this ban and instead welcome its end. If you are interested in co-signing the attached letter, please have your staff contact either Anamarie Pratt or Norman Singleton at 5-2831.
Sincerely,
Ron Paul
*****************************
April 30, 2003
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We are writing to request the administration oppose reauthorization of the Clinton-Feinstein-Schumer ban on certain semi-automatic weapons. This ban infringes on the rights of law-abiding citizens and serves no legitimate purpose. Mr. President, please defend the Second Amendment and publicly state your strong opposition to any reauthorization of the ban.
We were thoroughly dismayed by the statement of your spokesman, Scott McClellan, that you support the reauthorization of the 1994 ban on scores of semi-automatic weapons and on magazines with greater than ten round capacity. As you know, the ban was part of President Clinton's prized crime bill, the "Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994," which passed Congress by a very slim majority. In fact, it is highly unlikely that the semi-auto ban would have passed both chambers without the sunset clause.
It is interesting to note that Senator Feinstein and then-Representative Schumer were the original sponsors of the ban, and in 1995 the House of Representatives actually voted to repeal the ban! The semi-auto ban was a major part of a fanatical anti-gun agenda to ban legitimate firearms, which was repudiated in the elections of 1994 and 2000. It is now time for us to stand up against this unconstitutional gun-grabbing and help our nation in this time of great need by allowing law-abiding citizens to use the weapon of their choice.
The semi-auto ban is useless in preventing violent crime. Contrary to the propaganda of gun control supporters, only a very small percentage of crimes were committed with so-called assault weapons. If you want to lower crime, then make sure the federal courts are not hamstringing state and local governments from putting (and keeping) the guilty offenders in prison. Furthermore, at a time of increased threats of terrorism, sniper attacks, and other forms of violent crime, the last thing the federal government should do is continue preventing citizens from protecting themselves with the weapons they find most effective for their cause. Whether it be for self-defense, target practice, hunting or other lawful purposes, the federal government is prohibited by the Second Amendment from telling people what types of arms they can, and cannot, "keep and bear."
It is important to note that the term "assault" rifle is really a misnomer as a true assault rifle is a selective fire weapon capable of switching from fully automatic to semi-automatic and back with the flip of a lever. In addition to that, the charge that the assault rifle holds more rounds than a "legitimate" hunting rifle is a twisting of the facts, as 10, 20 and 30 round magazines for "legitimate" hunting rifles have been on the market for decades. These rifles banned in 1994 are little different than the semi-automatic hunting rifles that have been on the market since World War II. For what purpose are we now banning such fine weapons?
We are sure we need not remind you that a large and active part of our constituency supports the right to keep and bear arms. It will be a slap in the face to these millions of law-abiding gun owners if this White House and Congress support renewal of the semi-auto ban.
Mr. President, we are asking that you listen to the will of the people, that you keep your oath to defend the Constitution and do what is right. Support the sunset clause and let the American citizens buy and use what was rightfully theirs.
Sincerely,
CC:
Speaker Dennis Hastert
Hon. Tom Delay
Hon. Bill First
Hon. Mitch McConnell