Write to your representatives!! Post your letters here:

[buckeyefist]

Here is the reply i have recieved....

Dear Dan:



Like all Americans, I was horrified as the tragedies of Friday, December 14th unfolded in Newtown, Connecticut. The deplorable act of violence that took the lives of innocent children and adults is beyond reason, and I pray that, in time, the families of the victims and the people of that community are able to find peace.



As you no doubt recall, we were all reminded of the evil that exists in our world when six students were shot, three fatally, at Chardon High School in Geauga County on February 27th, 2012. In the aftermath, the heroic stories of the first responders, teachers and staff who acted swiftly and selflessly to protect others showed true courage.


Since that tragic event, and in the wake of the recent tragedy in Newtown, the absolute necessity for school officials, parents, students and first responders to be trained and practiced in responding to these unthinkable crimes is of utmost importance. Various state and local agencies, including the Ohio Office of Homeland Security and the Ohio Department of Education, have worked collaboratively to implement, review and drill response plans. Moreover, these occasions of violence and heartache should give us all pause to think about how we treat each other, and the value we as a society place upon every life.



With regard to calls for legislation in response to these events, it is my belief that we will be best served by enforcing those laws that currently exist. And, in the weeks and months that follow, we should learn as much as possible about how this happened, and what steps we can take, including mental health awareness and school safety protocols, to guard against the senseless loss of innocent life ever again.



I appreciate your taking the time to write. Please join me and my family in continuing to keep the communities of Chardon and Newtown, and all innocent victims of violence, in our prayers. Thank you.

 

[StlBluesFan72]

Letter I sent today. I have actually written every Mon, and Fri. since this started. I have called every Tues., and Thurs. !! I have written snail mail letters twice. Have only gotten 1 canned response from Warner, and Nothing from Kane, or Cantor.


I expect you to do everything in your power to stop Sen. Feinsteins AWB of 2013. I am a gun owner, and firearms sporting enthusiast, and this proposal infringes on my 2nd amendment right to own and bear arms. I am also a law abiding citizen, with no more than a traffic violation in my past. I will watch the voting on this bill, and I will vote accordingly. Everyone in Washington took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. Do not neglect your duties and let the second amendment be trampled, by others with a personal agenda. Millions of gun owners are coming together, and circling our wagons. We will not forget ANYONE who violates thier oath, and lets our right be infringed upon!

 

[buckeyefist]

Another one i recieved....

Dear Mr. xxxxxxxx:



Thank you for expressing your views about firearms legislation.



As a United States Senator, I took an oath to defend the Constitution. The Second Amendment makes clear that Americans have the right to own guns, and the Supreme Court over time has given meaning to this right.



When our children and families are no longer safe at our schools, in our malls, and in our movie theaters, then we as a country must take action. The shocking numbers of public shootings throughout the country last year, culminating in Newtown, Connecticut, demands that we engage in a serious national discussion about gun violence, not just in terms of weapons and bullets, but also including mental health access, public safety officers, and our responsibility both as individuals and a society.



Like all rights, it must be balanced against others. I have supported restrictions on the possession of assault-style weapons so our public safety officers are not put at increased risk, and restrictions on the ability of criminals to possess handguns but I fully support the right of Ohioans to own firearms.



Should the Senate consider this issue in the future, I will support common-sense reforms that protect both public safety and the rights of gun owners. Thank you again for contacting me.



Sincerely,



Sherrod Brown

United States Senator

 

[DigiRebel]

One of my Senators and my Representative are good Pennsylvania pro-gun types. The Democrat Senator (who I unfortunately voted for this year because of his moderate views and pro-gun stance!) flip flopped about guns weeks after the election. I wrote him once his response is at the bottom of this letter. (Sorry about the length, I get wordy!)

----------------

Dear Senator Casey,

I received your response to my letter asking you to reconsider your stance on a semi-automatic weapons ban. (I've attached it below for clarity's sake, though I am sure it is a canned letter and your staffers have sent many out already.)

I have to say, I regret pulling your lever during the election. You've stood on grounds many Pennsylvanians favor, then almost mere weeks after the election betrayed our trust by flip-flopping on an issue important to your constituents. Against what other people told me to do, I voted Democrat in your singular case because of your generally moderate stances, and the fact that you and your father before you have, for the most part always done right by the people of Pennsylvania.

Six years is not so long a time. Some people conjecture that the 1994 "scary looking guns ban" was part of the reason that your party lost control of the House of Representatives. Others conjecture that one of the reasons Al Gore lost his bid for President was because of his support for lessening the 2nd Amendment rights of Americans in supporting gun bans.

We were all saddened by the horrible tragedy in Connecticut. I still hug my kids a little tighter and thank God that I have them close to me healthy and whole. But going after a gun because it is black and scary is foolish. It is an emotional response and has no basis in logic or reason. As you know, guns simply don't kill people, people do. You are smart enough to realize on your own that a pistol grip, or a barrel shroud, or a collapsible stock has NO impact on the deadliness of a bullet. The shooter at Virginia tech used handguns with magazines of approximately 10 rounds, and the reduced magazine size didn't save a single person that day. Banning guns because of how they look is stupid. Limiting a law abiding citizen's right to own and use a magazine that only holds a limited number of rounds is also foolish. Does anyone REALLY believe that the criminals who use these weapons in crimes will actually turn theirs in if a ban is passed?

There is a time and a place for emotional thinking, but making decisions based on the emotionality of a subject is for simpletons. It is definitely NOT the way I want a Senator, or a President, or a Governor to act.

You've not voted yet, but I, my friends and family will be watching your voting record. Maybe you remember Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky. When I lived in her district near Philadelphia she towed the company line against her constituents wishes, we remembered. I promise you that I will remember your voting record as well, and I will remind everyone that I can when it comes time for your next election.

I strongly urge you to vote no on ANY law that curtails law abiding citizens liberty to purchase and own semi-automatic firearms (regardless of their color or cosmetic differences)(Including Senator Feinstein's when and if it reaches the Senate floor). Additionally I strongly urge you to not take expanded magazine sizes away from Law Abiding citizens who use these items for sporting and self defense. Don't cripple Pennsylvanians ability to defend themselves because of some arbitrary number someone cooked up for the size of an ammunition magazine.

I thank you for your time.

Sincerely,


-----------Attached below is the letter I received from your office in response to my first letter about this subject.--------


Dear Mr. XXXXX:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue.

As you know, on December 14, 2012, an individual in Newtown, Connecticut forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School and opened fire on teachers and staff in the building. In total, the perpetrator murdered 20 students between the ages of six and seven years old, as well as six adults, many of whom heroically sought to stop the shooter and save the lives of children. Like many Americans, I was deeply affected by the scope and brutality of this act. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.

The motives that led to this senseless massacre will likely never fully be comprehended. However, I believe that all public officials have a responsibility to work to prevent such an event from occurring again. This incident reflects a complex problem that requires a comprehensive strategy, including funding for law enforcement officers and the mental health care system. Too many individuals with mental illness are not receiving the services they need and tragically, sometimes a small number of these individuals turn violent. I have supported access to affordable and accessible mental health services for all Americans and I will continue to review proposed solutions to improve our mental health system.

As you may know, I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. Pennsylvania has a fine hunting and sporting tradition, and I will defend the right to bear arms as it is enshrined in our Constitution. However, I also believe that the attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School highlights very serious dangers posed to public safety by the misuse of certain weapons and technology originally developed for warfare. According to reports, the shooter was able to kill many children and adults very quickly because he possessed a military-style semiautomatic weapon. He also allegedly used magazines containing up to 30 rounds of ammunition and carried hundreds of rounds more. After much reflection and careful study of the issue, I have decided to support a federal assault weapons ban as well as legislation restricting high capacity clips. In light of what occurred at Sandy Hook, these are two measures that will lessen the chances that this will happen again soon.

Our Nation has already begun a critical dialogue as we examine what steps must be taken to prevent this type of tragedy in the future. On December 19, 2012, President Obama announced the formation of an inter-agency task initiative, led by Vice President Biden, to study these issues and recommend possible actions. I look forward to reviewing these proposals, as well to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address this complex issue.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you.

For more information on this or other issues, I encourage you to visit my website, Robert P. Casey Jr. | United States Senator for Pennsylvania: Home. I hope you will find this online office a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.

Sincerely,
Bob Casey
United States Senator

P.S. If you would like to respond to this message, please use the contact form on my website: Robert P. Casey Jr. | United States Senator for Pennsylvania: Contact

 

[Freeway]

Received this today from Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn...

Thank you for contacting me regarding firearms and the Second Amendment. There are few issues more controversial in our society or more central to any discussion on freedom’s foundation.

Let me say from the outset that my response to you is not unique. As you may know from previous correspondence, I take very seriously my responsibility to thoughtfully respond to each letter or email individually. In this situation however, due the high volume of mail and my desire not to keep you waiting, I want to more generally share with you the principles that guide me in reviewing any legislation related our Second Amendment rights. With that in mind, please do not hesitate to write again with further comments. You can be certain I will personally receive your comments and respond to any additional concerns.

As you know, the discussions now ongoing in Washington regarding guns are driven largely by the senseless murders that occurred in Newtown and Aurora this past year. Unfortunately, the kind of unspeakable violence we saw on those darks days has become all-too-common in our society today. While I think most of the solutions being offered look more at symptoms than the real disease, I do think it is entirely appropriate for our nation to take a hard look at itself and seriously examine the causal factors behind violent outbursts.

First and foremost, this discussion on reducing violence must begin with one unshakable principle—our Constitution is the single greatest protector of life and liberty, and must not be infringed upon. The same Bill of Rights that upholds the value of each and every human life also recognizes our inherent right to protect ourselves. I reject any notion that one right must be sacrificed to strengthen the other. In fact, I believe it is just the opposite. This has been my guide throughout my time in the senate, and I think my record demonstrates that no other Senator has stood more firmly or alone in advancing these principles. If you are interested in learning more, you can view my legislative record online at http://1.usa.gov/UGN28K and http://1.usa.gov/XoG6eT.

With this as my guide, I do believe there is a legitimate need to examine our current system for keeping guns out of the hands of those who are already prohibited by law from possessing such weapons—felons and those adjudicated as a “mental defective.” While no legislation can stop every act of violence, including the tragedies of the past year, we should work within our constitutional authority to make these systems actually work. And the truth is, there is a gap in current policy that allows these already-prohibited individuals to skirt the law and purchase weapons. A large number of guns are sold outside of the current background check system and I believe we must re-examine our approach.

In reality, the current National Instant Check System (NICS), which is used by firearm sellers to determine whether a prospective buyer is eligible to purchase firearms, is incomplete and failing to achieve its desired results. This is particularly true for those persons who have been adjudicated as a “mental defective,” and are supposed to be included in the NICS Index. As a physician, I believe our nation must do more to ensure those with mental illnesses who are a threat to themselves and others have access to treatment and are prevented from accessing firearms. To this end, officials at every level of government must examine our compliance with current laws and policies aimed at achieving this. In 2007, Congress passed the NICS Improvement Amendments Act (P.L. 110-180) which established incentives for state, local, and tribal governments to increase the compliance of states reporting seriously mentally ill persons to the NICS system. However, a July 2012 Government Accountability Office (GAO) study found that these incentives have not been implemented, and the law has not achieved the intended purpose of improving the reporting rates of mental health records by states. As of October 2011, only 12 states had made substantial improvement in reporting, while almost half of the states, including Oklahoma, had barely made any progress in this area. While states have primacy in passing laws and establishing policies on how to submit records to the NICS index, Congress should review, and amend if necessary, the recently passed NICS Improvement Act to ensure that it achieves it intended purpose of properly identifying and preventing access to firearms for those who are prohibited from it.

In the weeks ahead, I am willing to listen to and discuss this issue with anyone who wants to seriously deliberate it. We have much to gain from the discussion, including examining the obvious impact of violent media, the breakdown of the family unit, the lack of available mental health options, and the failure of the current administration to prosecute gun crimes. It may surprise you to learn that prosecutions of federal guns crimes have dropped dramatically in recent years, and I believe Congress has a duty to hold the President and his Justice Department accountable for this lapse.

As I enter these discussions, I do so with a firm commitment to our Constitution and the individual right to keep and bear arms. There are no easy answers, but I do not believe we have anything to fear from an open, honest debate.

Thank you again for your message. If you have additional concerns, I do hope to hear from you soon.


Sincerely,
Tom A. Coburn, M.D.
United States Senator

 

[trauma1]

sen bill nelson from florida

Please do not reply to this e-mail. If you need to send another message to Senator Nelson, please use the form on his Web site: Bill Nelson, U.S. Senator from Florida: Contact Bill

Dear Mr. Byers:

Thank you for contacting me about policy proposals that seek to reduce gun violence in the wake of the tragedy in Newtown.

I am a hunter and have always owned guns, and I support the Second Amendment.

But assault weapons such as AK 47s are intended for killing, not hunting.

Solutions for reducing gun violence must address many areas, from protecting law enforcement and keeping weapons out of the hands of criminals, to school safety, access to mental health services, and confronting a culture that sometimes glorifies violence.

I support reinstating the assault weapons ban and restoring the 10-round limit for ammunition magazines. And, I support universal background checks so that we can know if person buying a weapon has a criminal record.

I appreciate hearing your views on this very important issue, and I will keep them in mind. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future.

Sincerely,
Bill Nelson

Above is the response to what I sent to him. still have not heard back from the other senator, who is republican.

 

[5Wire]

I think we might have added impact by taking time write to repre4sentative in other states just to let them know the breadth of their reputations as know nothings. Politely of course.

 

[DigiRebel]

I am a hunter and have always owned guns, and I support the Second Amendment.

But assault weapons such as AK 47s are intended for killing, not hunting.

This made me laugh. I wonder if he understands that hunting IS killing.

Its also pretty clear that he either doesn't understand the Second Amendment (since he seems to be under the impression that it says, "Because hunting is fun, and we like meat, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, that aren't scary looking, shall not be infringed.")

I'll admit I think Democrats (especially those in the senate) are getting strong armed by their party. It was shocking to see this is a Florida Senator, just as shocking as the Democratic Senator from PA pulling the same nonsense.

 

[DigiRebel]

I think we might have added impact by taking time write to repre4sentative in other states just to let them know the breadth of their reputations as know nothings. Politely of course.

In my experience writing to people who you can't vote for or against has no impact. They, quite gleefully, ignore you.

 

[5Wire]

In my experience writing to people who you can't vote for or against has no impact. They, quite gleefully, ignore you.

Maybe so, but they have to look at the traffic first just to find out.

 

[2hawk]

Manchin's shenanigans, courtesy of the GOA alerts system...

Thank you for using Gun Owners of America Mail System.

Message sent to the following recipients:
Senator Merkley
Senator Wyden
Message text follows:

2hawk
Portland, OR


February 6, 2013

[recipient address was inserted here]


[recipient name was inserted here],

Please oppose Joe Manchin's Veterans Gun Ban and National Gun Registry!

Gun Owners of America tells me that Manchin claims to be "working with
NRA" to enact gun bans and national gun registries, but the NRA says
flatly that Manchin is lying. (The Hill, 1/24/13)

Make no mistake about it: Joe Manchin's draft would impose a gun ban on
veterans and would set up the framework for a national gun registry.

150,000 honest law-abiding veterans are currently in the NICS system.
They didn't do anything wrong; they honorably served their country. But
when they sought VA counseling for a traumatic combat experience, the VA
appointed a fiduciary to oversee their fiscal affairs and then took away
their guns. And, again, there are 150,000 honest veterans in the system.

New York Senator Charles Schumer viciously fought a Coburn amendment on
the DoD bill which would require that veterans get their day in court
before their rights were taken away from them, and he won.

What the Manchin bill is about is insuring that "bad guys" like veterans
can't get guns. And, under Barack Obama's "Executive Action #1," the NICS
list could soon include tens of millions of additional soldiers, police,
firemen, and other law-abiding Americans.

But veteran disarmament is not the only problem with Joe Manchin's gun
ban.

Manchin's bill would set the framework for a national gun registry and
impose a chokehold on gun sales. There are at least four big reasons for
this:

FIRST: Every gun owner in the country would have a "Form 4473."
Increasingly, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms are going into gun
dealerships and illegally copying all of those 4473's.

SECOND: The FBI refuses to tell us how or whether it's complying with
federal law by destroying the Brady Check names, rather than keeping them
for a national gun registry.

THIRD: As it is, the Brady Check system is breaking down on days such as
last year's Black Friday -- outlawing all gun purchases. If you have to
drive 200 miles from your farm to sell your gun to your neighbor, this
effectively outlaws any efforts to sell or buy a gun.

FOURTH: Increasingly, the FBI is blocking transfers because someone's
name is "similar" to someone else. When the legal purchaser complains,
the FBI's response is "Sue us!"

As a result, I would insist that you oppose Joe Manchin's veterans gun ban
and national gun registry bill.

Sincerely,


2hawk

 

[beemerrider]

Well thought out and well penned!

Kablamo: Your post is excellent. We all need to write our Senators and Congressmen. I wrote to mine about a month ago, giving them a list of all the things that should be objectively investigated to see what we can do that will actually be effective in reducing mass shootings and other "gun violence". I also had a 20 minute meeting with my House Representative when he was here in Oregon.
I asked him why we citizens are being constantly bombarded, for about 2 months now, with story after story about Sandy Hook, other past mass shootings and the shootings that happen in our local communities. I believe it is the Obama administrations way of "brainwashing" the citizenry, thus garnering support for all the regulations they would like to put into effect. My congressman's answer was that the "media" was pushing it. I am 63 years young now, and never before have I seen such media saturation on any one topic. Kennedy's assassination and 911 did not have nearly this much attention.
I asked why Obama and some in the Senate and Congress are spending their time on this issue, when our economy is still in poor shape, and nobody seems to be talking about, or working toward any real solutions to improve the economy. He wrote that off to Senators and Congressman being unable to focus on that issue, or much else for that matter.
I shared with him my idea of giving tax credits for purchase of a locking gun cabinet or safe. A few days before the Sandy Hook shootings, we had an active shooter situation in a mall a few miles from my house. He used an AR, with magazines and ammo, which he had stolen from a friend's home, to kill 2 people at the mall and wound a couple of others before shooting himself. I have yet to see anything about how the firearms used at Sandy Hook were stored. We know his mother knew he had serious mental issues, but we don't know if she had her guns in a safe, and/or whether he had easy access to them.
In addition to the above efforts, I attended a pro Second Amendment meeting at our state capitol about 3 weeks ago, spoke to the gathering of about 3,000, and I will be there for another meeting this Friday.
I am also working with the President of our 5,000 member gun club, to keep our members informed on the issues we all face, and provide information they can use in writing their elected representatives. I am also seeking statistical data from the NRA regarding mass and other shootings in the US. I will provide this information to our members for use in their letters, and perhaps of equal or greater importance; information they can use in calm discussions with family, friends, neighbors and co-workers on this whole "Guns in America" debate. Obama, Feinstein and the other any-gun folks are using every "emotional" trick in the book to sway public opinion in their favor. We need to provide real numbers and source references in order to show people the validity of our position.
We all need to share our ideas, data, and letters we've written, so that others can write those letters and help in defending our rights.

Thank you,

Beemerrider

 

[riderrick65]

Reply to Thread

This is what I wrote to my one state rep. (The Honorable Tom Buford) Kentucky Senate.
Senator Buford


Dear Sir,

I just found out about the assault on Kentucky residents' 2nd amendment rights. These legislative proposals will only put a burden on law-abiding citizens and do nothing to make Kentuckians safer because criminals will not comply. World history shows that the first stage of subjugation of a free people is registration of firearms leading to confiscation.

I hope I can count on you to stand up and fight against this assault on Kentuckians' God-given and Constitutionally protected rights.

This was his reply:
You have my support. NO new gun control bills..

Tom

 

[kablamo]

Finally got a response from my congressman after starting this post.





February 13, 2013


Thank you for contacting me to share your sorrow and outrage over the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. I appreciate hearing from you, and I share your belief that we must take decisive action to prevent further gun massacres.

The shooting of children and their teachers at Sandy Hook was an unimaginable tragedy. It is unthinkable to me that children could be the target of such violence, and my thoughts are with the community of Newtown as well as with the parents throughout the country who now fear sending their children off to school.

As we grieve and begin the process of healing, we must have a serious discussion about the best ways to reduce gun violence. We must implement common-sense gun safety measures to help keep our communities safe. President Obama has taken steps to reduce gun violence by proposing an expansive package of reforms meant to address the issues of firearms being possessed by the wrong people, school safety, and mental health treatment and awareness.

There are a number of legislative proposals that I strongly back, ranging from re-instating the assault weapons ban to requiring background checks on all guns purchased. A majority of Americans support restricting the use of large capacity magazines, similar to those used in both the Newtown, CT and Aurora, CO shootings, which is why I am a cosponsor of legislation banning large capacity ammunition feeding devices and the production, sale, and transfer of 157 military-style assault weapons. I believe the federal government must prohibit the distribution of these guns and magazines, which are truly weapons of mass destruction, and I will continue to work to pass legislation to protect our communities from gun violence.

Another part of the solution is making sure that background checks are performed on all gun sales, and that is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 137, the Fix Gun Checks Act, which would make it more difficult for troubled individuals to obtain guns. This bill strengthens the background check system and closes loopholes that allow people to buy guns at gun shows without undergoing a criminal background check. These bills are common sense pieces of legislation Congress should enact immediately.

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school is a heartbreaking tragedy, but it is far from an isolated incident. There have been at least 62 gun massacres in the United States in the last three decades. In the past few months, gunmen have killed twelve people at a movie theater in Colorado, two at a mall in Oregon, six at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, and five at a factory in Minnesota. Beyond mass shootings, an average of 30,000 Americans die as a result of gun violence every year, including almost 3,000 children. Tens of thousands more are wounded. Children in the U.S. are 13 times more likely to be killed by gun violence than children in other industrialized countries. That is absolutely unacceptable, and it is clear that we need to take action. I will work with my colleagues in Congress, and with the Administration, to pass real gun safety legislation to protect our communities.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the horrific events that occurred in Newtown, Connecticut and gun safety legislation. Your thoughts and opinions on this issue are of great value. Please feel free to use my office as a resource at any time, and visit Congressman Mark Pocan | Representing the 2nd District of Wisconsin for up-to-date information on a wide range of issues before Congress. I look forward to further correspondence with you on this and any other matter of concern you may have in the future.


Sincerely,

Mark Pocan
Member of Congress





Should you have further questions, please revisit the “Contact” section of my website or call my office at (202) 225-2906. This is an unattended mailbox.