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High Country Representatives in U.S. Congress Respond to President’s Ban on Assault Weapons, Gun Reform

President Barack Obama, with Vice President Joe Biden, signs executive orders initiating 23 separate executive actions, after delivering remarks to unveil new gun control proposals as part of the Administration’s response to the Newtown, Conn., shootings, and other tragedies, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Jan. 16, 2013. Joining them on stage are children from around the country who wrote the President letters in the wake of the Newtown tragedy expressing their concerns about gun violence and school safety, and their parents. Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson
President Barack Obama, with Vice President Joe Biden, signs executive orders initiating 23 separate executive actions, after delivering remarks to unveil new gun control proposals as part of the Administration’s response to the Newtown, Conn., shootings, and other tragedies. Joining them on stage are children from around the country who wrote the President letters in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

Compiled by Jesse Wood

Jan. 17, 2013. In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook tragedy, President Barack Obama announced a series of sweeping gun reforms that included banning armor-piercing ammunition, reinstating the military-style assault weapons ban and capping magazines to a 10-round limit – all of which were among the 23 Executive Actions he signed on Wednesday.

Here is what our High Country representatives in the U.S. House and North Carolina’s two U.S. Senators had to say about President Obama’s actions.


 

U.S. Senator Richard Burr

Burr
Burr

U.S. Sen. Burr Statement on President’s Call for More Restrictive Gun Control Measures

Today, U.S. Senator Richard Burr issued the following statement regarding the President’s call for more restrictive gun control measures that infringe on the rights of law-abiding Americans protected by the Second Amendment:

“I will fight any effort to further infringe on the Second Amendment rights of American citizens, whether it is legislation or executive action by the President. I am open to having a conversation about ways in which our nation can address mental health issues and reduce violence, but I will not stand by while the President and others try to restrict the rights of law-abiding American citizens.”


 

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx
U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx

Foxx Statement on President’s Announcement of Future Gun Proposals, National Response Must Not be Shortsighted as Constitutional Liberties are at Stake

House Republican Conference Secretary Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued the following remarks today after President Obama and Vice President Biden’s press briefing announcing the Administration’s plans to propose gun restrictions:

“Just over one month has passed since the devastating tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut that cost the lives of twenty-six innocent people.

“Our national response must not be shortsighted as constitutional liberties are at stake. New laws will do us no good if they burden responsible gun owners and small businesses but fail to stop sick people before they turn to evil.

“But if bipartisan ideas are considered in Congress, per the separation of powers, and are carefully scrutinized for their effectiveness and constitutionality, I am hopeful we can arrive at a solution that protects the most innocent and vulnerable among us while honoring the foundational Second Amendment rights of millions of law-abiding American citizens.”


 

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan

Hagan Statement on Proposals to Curb Gun Violence

U.S. Senator Kay Hagan released the following statement after the President outlined proposals to curb gun violence:

“We need to ensure that there are laws in place to prevent a tragedy like Sandy Hook from ever happening again. First and foremost, that will require a serious commonsense debate in Congress that looks at access to guns, access to mental health care and violent video games.

“While respecting the rights of responsible gun owners, I am committed to working with my Republican and Democratic colleagues toward a comprehensive approach that ensures our communities are safe.

“As I have said, I will look at any proposal with an open mind, including the President’s proposals to make schools safer and grant law enforcement additional tools to prosecute gun crime.”


 

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows

Meadows
Meadows

Meadows Calls on President Obama to Stop Playing Politics with Newtown Tragedy

U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows (NC-11) released the following statement after President Obama announced that he is moving forward with sweeping gun control measures.

“The recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut will never be forgotten. However, it is shameful that rather than having a serious discussion about the root of the violence behind the shooting, President Obama is using this tragedy as a vehicle for his own political agenda. He made his motives clear today when he used innocent children as the backdrop of his press conference.

“I am dedicated to preventing horrific incidents like the Newtown shooting from ever happening again, which is why I am committed to enforcing existing laws, examining issues like mental health and bolstering safety precautions in schools.  We need to put politics aside and have meaningful conversations about the tragedy in Connecticut, but the president circumventing Congress and implementing his own rule of law is not the way to proceed.  I encourage the president to change his course and sit down at the table with both political parties so we can prevent future tragedies.”