01.05.16

Sullivan Reacts To Whittling Away of Alaskans’ Right to Bear Arms

ANCHORAGE, AK – U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement today in reaction to President Obama’s announced gun control measures via executive action:

“Like most Alaskans, I’m extremely troubled by President Obama’s executive actions that limit our Second Amendment rights. The president failed to get a gun control bill through a Senate controlled by his own party in 2013. Now he’s decided to take certain actions to bypass Congress. Make no mistake, these actions are a direct affront to our Constitution, which dictates that Congress, not the Executive Branch, makes laws. But the President has repeatedly shown that he believes that if the citizens of this country, through their representatives, stand up to him, he can go around them through executive fiat. Examples are numerous and extend to our lands, our waters, our energy sector, our financial and healthcare industries and to our technology sector. The implications of this kind of overreach for our constitutional form of government are profound. But his most recent actions to limit who can buy, sell and trade in firearms is particularly troubling for Alaskans, many of whom depend on their guns for protection and to feed their family.

“Alaskans are horrified by murders carried out by criminals and terrorists, such as what happened in San Bernardino, CA. But we understand that whittling away our right to bear arms and keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens is not the way to prevent these tragedies.

“The President claims that he’s acting because Congress ‘has failed’ to do so. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Congress has acted. We have listened to the people we represent who soundly reject the President’s overreach. And we will continue to listen to them, and do all we can to protect their constitutional rights.”

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