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I sent each one of my congressional representatives my thoughts regarding the inevitable upcoming legislation concerning guns. I sent them both via the internet and the old fashioned snail-mail. My thinking using snail-mail is/was that it would more likely be noticed. Probably wrong thinking but I had to take the chance.

Anyway from reading some responses from Merkley posted by some of the members here it may seem his stance has softened a bit to our side. But like all politicians watch what they do, not what they say.

Here is his e-mailed response I received tonight:

Dear James,

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about legislation and actions being considered to address gun violence. I appreciate hearing from you.

In the wake of the tragic mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary and right at home in Clackamas Town Center, I have heard a wide range of views from many Oregonians on gun policies and gun violence. Indeed, I am deeply saddened by these senseless shootings and the loss of innocent lives.

As I consider proposed policies regarding guns, I will have two perspectives. As a supporter of the Second Amendment, I will ask if the proposals meet the constitutional test. Second, I will ask if the proposals will make a difference in the tragic situations we have witnessed. In short, I will be digging into the facts and research about each of the proposals on the table with these perspectives in mind.

It is appropriate in light of the recent tragedies that this is a national discussion, and I'm glad you are sharing your thoughts with me. I will keep your views in mind and hope you will keep me informed about the issues that concern you.

All my best,

Jeffrey A. Merkley
United States Senator
 
Hay Jeff!! If you monitor this site, how about coming to the Rally the 8th of Feb, after all it's in salem. And, it would be nice to see some one like you that is a ''supporter of the 2nd amendment".
 
I got two responses from Merkley after sending the Ruger thing out the other day.

Dear Norm,

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about any proposed legislation that would affect gun ownership by signing the Ruger Firearms petition. I appreciate hearing from you.

In the wake of the tragic mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary and right at home in Clackamas Town Center, I have heard a wide range of views from many Oregonians on gun policies and gun violence. Indeed, I am deeply saddened by these senseless shootings and the loss of innocent lives.

As I consider proposed policies regarding guns, I will have two perspectives. As a supporter of the Second Amendment, I will ask if the proposals meet the constitutional test. Second, I will ask if the proposals will make a difference in the tragic situations we have witnessed. In short, I will be digging into the facts and research about each of the proposals on the table with these perspectives in mind.

It is appropriate in light of the recent tragedies that this is a national discussion, and I'm glad you are sharing your thoughts with me. As specific proposals are put before Congress, please continue to give me your feedback.


All my best,

Jeffrey A. Merkley
United States Senator

Dear Norm,

Thank you for contacting me with your thoughts about events that have recently occurred in Oregon and Connecticut. I have heard from many Oregonians who have shared their thoughts and prayers as we process, both individually and as a nation, what happened and try to heal.

I am deeply saddened by these senseless shootings and the loss of innocent lives. As a parent, I was horrified to learn of these heartbreaking events, and I am at a loss to make sense of it all. Mary and I are holding in our thoughts and prayers the victims, their loved ones, the communities, and all who have been affected by these terrible acts of violence.

The tragedy in Newtown affirms that, as a country, we must no longer accept complacency or the unwillingness to discuss gun violence. Massacres like this have occurred all too often across this country. They raise questions that need thorough examination, including the accessibility of types of weapons and ammunition, the securing of weapons in the home, the application of background checks, and the accessibility of treatment for mental illness. I plan to work with my colleagues in Congress and engage in productive dialogue to answer the question of which strategies both meet the requirements of the Second Amendment and address effectively the epidemic of gun violence.

Please know that I will keep your views and the memory of the lives lost due to gun violence in mind during these discussions.

Thank you for participating in this national dialogue. I hope you will continue to send your thoughts and observations my way.


All my best,

Jeffrey A. Merkley
United States Senator
 
My wife and i both received responses from sen murkley , so, i took the opportunity to use his response to me, to respond to him again, explaining some things about no more gun laws, we have enough of them , enforce the ones we have, go after the REAL bad guys and their illegal guns. How i totally disagree with the 10 rd mag idea, and some other points. As well as asking him for a "yes'' or ''No'' answer on feinsteins proposals. And, once again i invited him to the FEB 8th rally in Salem.
 
I think there are many Senators and congressmen that are back tracking a bit. It's what happened the last time they tried to do this on a national scale. A lot of them were voted out after the AWB in the 90's. I hear more and more that they are backing away form more legislation, but we still need to make sure we are writing. I right every week. I have yet to receive a letter back form Bothilotchie or how ever else you spell her name. IF anyone has her response and could post it somewhere or PM it to me i would greatly appreciate it since she is the rep form my district.
 
I finally got a response from Merkely. I used the Ruger site several weeks ago and never got a response using just my name in the signature block. Used the Ruger site again on the 25th, this time I followed my name with rate and service info (HM3 USN Veteran). Got a response back in less then 72 hours. Here's what he sent me:

Dear xxxxx,

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about any proposed legislation that would affect gun ownership by signing the Ruger Firearms petition. I appreciate hearing from you.

In the wake of the tragic mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary and right at home in Clackamas Town Center, I have heard a wide range of views from many Oregonians on gun policies and gun violence. Indeed, I am deeply saddened by these senseless shootings and the loss of innocent lives.

As I consider proposed policies regarding guns, I will have two perspectives. As a supporter of the Second Amendment, I will ask if the proposals meet the constitutional test. Second, I will ask if the proposals will make a difference in the tragic situations we have witnessed. In short, I will be digging into the facts and research about each of the proposals on the table with these perspectives in mind.

It is appropriate in light of the recent tragedies that this is a national discussion, and I'm glad you are sharing your thoughts with me. As specific proposals are put before Congress, please continue to give me your feedback.

All my best,

Jeffrey A. Merkley
United States Senator

I also got a response back from Val Hoyle the same day as Merkleys. Her response was fairly similar.
 
I think there are many Senators and congressmen that are back tracking a bit. It's what happened the last time they tried to do this on a national scale. A lot of them were voted out after the AWB in the 90's. I hear more and more that they are backing away form more legislation, but we still need to make sure we are writing. I right every week. I have yet to receive a letter back form Bothilotchie or how ever else you spell her name. IF anyone has her response and could post it somewhere or PM it to me i would greatly appreciate it since she is the rep form my district.

I posted this last week, but here again is the response I got back from Suzanne Bonamici.

January 23, 2013


Dear Mr. Lurvey,


Thank you for contacting me about guns and how we can prevent gun violence. I appreciate hearing from you.

The tragic shootings in a Connecticut elementary school, the Clackamas Town Center, and a theater in Colorado are the latest in a long list of senseless mass shootings that occur too often in our country. These examples, and others like them, show that we must do more to prevent gun violence.

Our priority should be to find ways to keep guns out of the hands of people who use them to kill or injure innocent victims. One of the first steps we should take is to pass federal legislation to require background checks on all gun sales at gun shows, a law that Oregon already has on the books. Cracking down on gun trafficking and illegal sales would keep more guns out of the wrong hands. I also support a ban on large capacity magazines like those used in the Colorado theater shooting.

Importantly, we must also address the mental health aspects of violent crime. Critical components of reducing violence include identifying and treating people with mental illness and offering education and resources to their families, teachers, and communities. We need a community effort to destigmatize those who seek treatment for mental illness, and policymakers must work to break down barriers to access these services.

I support the Second Amendment rights of individuals to own firearms for recreation and protection, but with every right comes a corresponding responsibility not to abuse or exploit that freedom to the detriment of others.

Thank you again for writing to me, and please know that I will keep your input in mind as Congress considers proposals to prevent gun violence.
If you would like to know more about my work in Congress, please sign up for my newsletter at Welcome to Representative Suzanne Bonamici | Representative Suzanne Bonamici or visit my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CongresswomanBonamici.






Sincerely,

Suzanne Bonamici
Member of Congress
 
I just recieved a similiar response from Merkley yesterday after the Ruger survey. I also recieved a letter from congressmen Walden last week on the same topic.


Dear



Thanks for contacting me with your thoughts on gun control laws in light of the recent shootings.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and families affected by these horrible tragedies in Clackamas and Newtown. As a father, I believe that we as a nation must work together to prevent these horrific acts of violence and address the underlying issues that cause them.



Every two years, I raise my hand as your Representative and swear to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution. That's an oath I take seriously. The Second Amendment to the Constitution establishes a citizen's right to keep and bear arms, and I have always been a strong supporter of the Second Amendment.



The shooters in Oregon and Connecticut committed their crimes with stolen guns. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a majority of guns used by criminals are stolen, bought on the black market, or obtained in other illegal ways. Another law is unlikely to deter these types of attacks which violate multiple laws to begin with.



I do think we can do more on the side of helping people with mental illness and those contemplating suicide. I'm working with leaders in these communities to see what they think would be most effective.



Thank you again for writing me about these issues. It's an honor to represent you in the U.S. Congress.






Best regards,

Greg Walden
Member of Congress
 

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