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Public Statements

Smith: Second Amendment Rights Restored to DC Residents and Preserved for Other Americans


Location: Washington, DC


Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lamar Smith (R-TX) today issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the D.C. gun ban and uphold the Second Amendment rights of D.C. residents:

"Today's decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the right to own handguns for D.C. residents is one of the most important rulings in our lifetime, affirming that the 2nd Amendment is a Constitutional right granted to individuals and not merely members of the militia. Today's ruling finds that as a legal matter, restricting the rights of American citizens to the point where those rights become non-existent or are rendered ineffective, is unconstitutional. This is a resounding victory for the American people and sets a strong precedent that the rights and liberties provided in the Constitution may be regulated but cannot be extinguished by the law.

"The DC gun ban was originally enacted in the 1970s to try and stem the growing crime rate in the nation's capitol. Over 30 years later, gun violence continues to plague the city's residents. By limiting the rights of DC residents, the gun ban has made law abiding citizens easy targets for criminals. Despite the intent of the law, the DC gun ban has made more targets than safe streets."

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