Contact:
Alexah Rogge
202-225-6611
alexah.rogge@mail.house.gov
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman Russ Fulcher introduced the Second Amendment for Everyone (SAFE) Resolution of 2020 to expresses the importance of preserving Americans’ fundamental right to self-defense in the wake of calls to dismantle and/or defund local police departments. Specifically, the SAFE Resolution asks local governments who choose to dismantle or defund local police departments, to undertake a review ensuring their local gun permitting process does not place an undue burden on its residents.
“I support the right of Americans to own and responsibly use firearms—particularly during a time when the police’s ability to protect our citizens may be lessened, or even removed in some areas,” commented Rep. Fulcher. “People have a right to protect themselves, and this should not be impeded by local, state, or county regulations that have enacted costly, lengthy, and burdensome procedures for obtaining legal, constitutionally-granted gun ownership.”
The SAFE Resolution follows the standard set by the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the District of Columbia v Heller and McDonald v Chicago. These cases confirmed that the 2nd Amendment is an individual right, and that no law can prohibit an individual from possessing or using a firearm in the home for self-defense.
This resolution has wide applicability across the country. In several cities, we have seen violent crimes against people and property. The police, while not perfect, are often the only effective defense mechanism to deter or respond to such crimes. This is especially true where individuals do not possess their own means of self-defense or have access to a reasonable process to purchase firearms and obtain training to be responsible gun owners. In some states, the mandatory training programs can be so expensive that a large percentage of individuals in these areas face serious obstacles to accessing a firearm, in effect, undermining their 2nd Amendment rights.
This also applies to 20% of the population living in rural areas of the country where different obstacles are present. It can take police long periods of time to reach a person under threat in their home in a rural area. Additionally, many rural areas in counties where the federal government controls much of the land, there is less property tax revenue obtained for police service. Decreasing the funding of these police departments further could put the safety of residents at risk, making it all the more important that no local rule acts as an obstacle to the legal purchase of a firearm.
Read the full bill here.
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Congressman Russ Fulcher introduced the Second Amendment for Everyone (SAFE) Resolution of 2020 to expresses the importance of preserving Americans’ fundamental right to self-defense in the wake of calls to dismantle and/or defund local police departments. Specifically, the SAFE Resolution asks local governments who choose to dismantle or defund local police departments, to undertake a review ensuring their local gun permitting process does not place an undue burden on its residents.
“I support the right of Americans to own and responsibly use firearms—particularly during a time when the police’s ability to protect our citizens may be lessened, or even removed in some areas,” commented Rep. Fulcher. “People have a right to protect themselves, and this should not be impeded by local, state, or county regulations that have enacted costly, lengthy, and burdensome procedures for obtaining legal, constitutionally-granted gun ownership.”
The SAFE Resolution follows the standard set by the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the District of Columbia v Heller and McDonald v Chicago. These cases confirmed that the 2nd Amendment is an individual right, and that no law can prohibit an individual from possessing or using a firearm in the home for self-defense.
This resolution has wide applicability across the country. In several cities, we have seen violent crimes against people and property. The police, while not perfect, are often the only effective defense mechanism to deter or respond to such crimes. This is especially true where individuals do not possess their own means of self-defense or have access to a reasonable process to purchase firearms and obtain training to be responsible gun owners. In some states, the mandatory training programs can be so expensive that a large percentage of individuals in these areas face serious obstacles to accessing a firearm, in effect, undermining their 2nd Amendment rights.
This also applies to 20% of the population living in rural areas of the country where different obstacles are present. It can take police long periods of time to reach a person under threat in their home in a rural area. Additionally, many rural areas in counties where the federal government controls much of the land, there is less property tax revenue obtained for police service. Decreasing the funding of these police departments further could put the safety of residents at risk, making it all the more important that no local rule acts as an obstacle to the legal purchase of a firearm.
Read the full bill here.
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