Session: State Capitol, Room 508 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-3892 Fax: (907) 465-6595 Interim: 716 W 4th Avenue, Suite 400 Anchorage, AK 99501-2133 Phone: (907) 269-0234 Fax: (907) 269-0238

Senate Supports
Right to Bear Arms

(JUNEAU) - The Alaska Senate urges President George W. Bush to reverse the anti-gun-ownership policies of the Clinton administration in a resolution it passed today.

"President Clinton and his Justice Department were extremely hostile when it came to public ownership of guns," said Sen. Dave Donley (R-Anchorage), sponsor of the resolution. "The Clinton Justice Department contended that the Second Amendment only protected gun ownership for members of the National Guards. Individual citizen's guns, including hunting rifles and shotguns, could simply be taken away."

Senate Joint Resolution 17 asks President Bush to instruct the Department of Justice to modify its policies to acknowledge that the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the right of individual Americans to own guns. In addition, Alaskan voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to the Alaska State Constitution in 1994 to specifically guarantee the rights of Alaskans as individuals to keep and bear arms.

"The Alaska State Constitution makes it clear that every individual, law-abiding Alaskan has the right to keep and bear arms but that isn't enough," said Donley. "The Founding Fathers believed that the right to keep and bear arms was the birthright of every American. This Resolution reaffirms that belief."

"This resolution sends a clear and forceful message to the federal government that Alaskans will defend the Second Amendment freedoms of every individual, law-abiding American," said Donley.

SJR 17 was drafted in consultation with the National Rifle Association. The resolution now goes to the House for consideration.

# # #

Attachments:

• Letter from the U.S. Dept. of Justice stating the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution does not give the right to bear arms to individuals.
  requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 2 page(s) - 26 K
• Notes taken during Oral Arguments in case between United States V. Emerson, 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, June 12, 2000. A U.S. Justice attorney asserts it is the policy of the Justice Department that the Second Amendment is consistent with a position that the Federal Government can restrict all private ownership of rifles, pistols and shotguns.
  requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 1 page(s) - 21 K
• Sponsor Statement for SJR 17
  
• Print Friendly Version
  requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 1 page(s) - 96 K

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