I strongly support our rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. It is a concern that some public officials ignore the Second Amendment and try to prohibit citizens from owning firearms. Our Founding Fathers considered bearing arms a right, not a privilege.

As a signer of the Amicus Brief supporting challengers of the D.C. gun ban, I applaud the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on June 26, 2008 in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller overturning the District of Columbia's ban on handguns and on self-defense in the home. The ruling is a victory for lawful citizens wishing to protect themselves and their family.

My commitment to gun owners' rights is beyond question. I have consistently voted to support a citizen's right to own a firearm, and will continue to wholeheartedly support the Constitution and the Second Amendment.

To defend against litigation I have supported legislation prohibiting civil liability actions from being brought or continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition for damages resulting from the misuse of their products by others. These lawsuits gravely threaten the Second Amendment right to bear arms and could lay the groundwork for an explosion of litigation that would threaten every manufacturing industry in America. I believe that holding an entire industry liable for harm that is the result of negligence or criminal misuse is an abuse of the legal system. The criminals should be punished, not the gun manufacturers.

I am proud to defend our freedoms and liberties through my co-sponsorships, votes, and defense of the Second Amendment. As Americans, our freedoms should not be taken for granted and must always be defended.