Congressman Lewis Praises Supreme Court Decision Upholding the Second Amendment
Thursday, June 26

WASHINGTON - Congressman Jerry Lewis Thursday hailed the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down the restrictive Washington , D.C. gun ban and upholding an individual's right to own a firearm under the Second Amendment to the Constitution.

"The Washington , D.C. gun ban was the most egregious example of a law that didn't work - it restricted law-abiding citizens from protecting their homes and families, but had virtually no affect on gun-related crime," Lewis said. "The Supreme Court absolutely made the right decision to throw out this unconstitutional law, and I believe our Nation's Capital will now be a safer place."

In a 5-4 ruling Thursday, the Supreme Court threw out the law and reaffirmed the right of individual citizens to own guns for protection and hunting. The ruling written by Justice Antonin Scalia specifically noted that it does not affect laws preventing ownership of guns by convicted felons or the mentally ill, or restricting them from schools, government buildings and other sensitive places.

Lewis is a cosponsor of the D.C. Personal Protection Act, H.R. 1399, which would allow individuals to keep guns in their home for protection or hunting. He is a lifelong supporter of Second Amendment rights in his home district and the District of Columbia .

"The true significance of this decision is the Supreme Court has determined for the first time that the Bill of Rights gives individuals throughout the United States the right to own a gun for their protection," Lewis said. "This precedent should give new guidance to judges across the nation who have issued rulings that restrict our constitutional guarantees of liberty."