HON. RON PAUL OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2003
Restoring the Second Amendment
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to restore the
right the founding fathers saw as the guarantee of every other right by
introducing the Second Amendment Protection Act. This legislation
reverses the
steady erosion of the right to keep and bear arms by repealing
unconstitutional
laws that allow power-hungry federal bureaucrats to restrict the rights
of
law-abiding gun owners.
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Specifically, my legislation repeals
the five-day waiting period and the instant background check, which
enables the federal government to compile a database of every gun owner
in
America. My legislation also repeals the misnamed ban on
semi-automatic weapons, which bans entire class of firearms for no
conceivable reason beside the desire of demagogic politicians to appear
tough on
crime. Finally, my bill amends the Gun Control Act of 1968 by deleting
the
sporting purposes test, which allows the Treasury Secretary to
infringe on second amendment rights by classifying a firearm (handgun,
rifle,
shotgun) as a destructive device simply because the Secretary
believes the gun to be non-sporting.
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Thomas Jefferson said The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent
in the
people; ...that it is their right and duty to be at all times
armed.
Jefferson, and all of the Founders, would be horrified by the
proliferation of
unconstitutional legislation that prevents law-abiding Americans form
exercising
their right and duty to keep and bear arms. I hope my colleagues will
join me in
upholding the Founders vision for a free society by cosponsoring the
Second
Amendment Restoration Act.