Email from John Cornyn

This came to my email yesterday, thought I would share.

 

Thank you for contacting me regarding a proposed treaty on international arms trade. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

In October 2009, the Obama Administration announced that it would reverse current U.S. policy by supporting the launch of United Nations (UN) talks on the formation of a treaty to regulate international arms sales. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that U.S. support of these talks is predicated on the negotiations operating under the rules of consensus decision-making, which afford each nation veto authority. I share your concerns regarding the implications of such a treaty.

The negotiating forum for these talks, the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, seeks to propose a legally binding treaty to increase regulation of, and set international standards for, the import, export, and transfer of conventional weapons. A conference to negotiate a treaty text began in New York on July 12, 2012. Furthermore, it is important to note that, should a U.S. President choose to sign the resulting treaty text in the future, it would subsequently require ratification by two-thirds of the U.S. Senate in order to enter into force.

Therefore, I have joined with my colleagues in signing a letter to President Obama and Secretary Clinton expressing grave concern about the dangers posed by this treaty to our Second Amendment rights, and encouraging President Obama and Secretary Clinton to uphold our country’s constitutional protections of civilian firearm ownership as the treaty process continues. It is essential to safeguard the law-abiding citizens’ constitutional right to own and use firearms designed for legitimate purposes such as hunting, target shooting, collecting, and self-protection. Restricting this right runs counter to the intent of our Founding Fathers, who expressly guaranteed in the Second Amendment that citizens would retain the right to keep and bear arms.

The United States must carefully evaluate actions taken by international organizations to determine whether they are consistent with our national interests. As Americans, we take pride in our nation and its hard-fought independence, and you may be certain that I will vigorously oppose any legislation or action that infringes upon that sovereignty.

I appreciate the opportunity to represent Texans in the United States Senate, and you may be certain that I will continue working with my colleagues to protect our sovereignty and defend our Second Amendment rights. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN

United States Senator

 

517 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Tel: (202) 224-2934

Fax: (202) 228-2856

http://www.cornyn.senate.gov