Angie Craig: “I appear on the floor to speak about a provision of the Constitution of our country that has been under nearly constant…”

“I appear on the floor to speak about a provision of the Constitution of our country that has been under nearly constant attack for 8 years. In fact, we heard on the floor this morning two Senators speak about provisions in law that would alter a constitutional right. The provision I am talking about is part of our Bill of Rights--the first 10 amendments to our Constitution--which protect our most basic rights from being stripped away by an overly zealous government, including rights that all Americans hold dear: The freedom to worship according to one's conscience; The freedom to speak or to write whatever we might think; The freedom to criticize our Government; And, the freedom to assemble peacefully. Among the safeguards of these fundamental rights, we find the Second Amendment. Let me read it clearly: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. I want to repeat that. The second amendment of our Constitution says very clearly that "A well regulated Militia" is "necessary" for the "security of a free State," and that "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." What we heard this morning was an effort to infringe upon that right.”