UN Arms treaty response from my senator

[1969SS396]

After signing the online petition, I got a response from my Senator.........


Thank you for contacting me about the proposed United Nations (UN) Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). I appreciate hearing your views on this matter.

The illegal manufacture and trafficking of firearms contributes to crime and violence around the world by arming criminals, terrorists, and other militant groups. Illicit firearms, especially small arms and light weapons, can destabilize entire regions by fueling armed conflict and violence against innocent civilians. In addition, the presence of such weapons complicates humanitarian relief programs, peacekeeping initiatives and the development of democratic societies. According to the United Nations, there are more than 875 million small arms and light weapons in circulation worldwide, and these weapons are responsible for approximately 300,000 deaths every year.

Over the years, the United States and other UN member governments have undertaken both national and international efforts to combat the significant increase in illegally manufactured and trafficked firearms. U.S. policy includes attempting to curb black market transfers of small arms to zones of conflict, terrorists, international criminal organizations and/or drug traffickers; encouraging other nations to raise arms export standards to U.S. standards; streamlining and strengthening U.S. export procedures to improve accountability without interfering with the legal trade in or transfer of arms; and supporting the destruction of excess stockpiles of small arms, particularly in regions where conflicts have ended. In July 2001, a nonbinding “Program of Action” (PoA) was adopted by UN member governments, including the United States, that encouraged nations to ensure that manufacturers use markings on small arms and light weapons to facilitate the tracing of illicit weapons transfers; establish procedures to monitor legal sales, transfer and stockpiling of small arms and light weapons; and make the illegal manufacture, trade and possession of such weapons a criminal offense.

In 2008, the UN General Assembly convened a UN Group of Governmental Experts to examine the possibility of an international treaty focused on denying arms to groups that would abuse them, including rogue states, terrorist organizations and illegal militias. Under the Bush administration, the United States was an active participant in the 2008 UN Group of Governmental Experts and endorsed the Group’s recommendations for an international framework for controlling the international conventional arms trade. In October 2009, the United States voted for a UN resolution laying out a schedule for talks on the proposed Arms Trade Treaty, including a final UN Conference on the ATT in 2012.

The United States supported the resolution in part because it states that the 2012 Conference will operate under the rule of consensus decision-making, a provision that was necessary to gain U.S. backing. According to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “as long as that Conference operates under the rule of consensus decision-making needed to ensure that all countries can be held to standards that will actually improve the global situation by denying arms to those who would abuse them, the United States will actively support the negotiations. Consensus is needed to ensure the widest possible support for the Treaty and to avoid loopholes in the Treaty that can be exploited by those wishing to export arms irresponsibly.” In this instance, consensus decision-making means that the United States maintains its right to veto any agreement produced by the 2012 Conference.

Some have raised concerns that UN efforts to combat the illegal international arms trade may restrict the rights of law-abiding American citizens, despite the fact that the proposed ATT is focused on the illegal manufacture and trafficking of firearms around the world. While I believe these concerns are misplaced in regard to the proposed ATT, it is important that any efforts to curb the illegal international arms trade do not infringe on the rights of law-abiding U.S. citizens.

As the world’s largest exporter of conventional weapons and a government that is widely considered to have the gold-standard on arms export controls, the United States has a special responsibility to promote responsible global arms trade. I support ratification of a strong and effective ATT, and I look forward to working with the administration and my Senate colleagues to achieve that goal.

Thank you again for contacting me.

Sincerely,
Carl Levin
levin.senate.gov

[bamajoey]

Standard letter, Liberal blather

[skullfr]

If that was true it would be a great thing but we know it wont work.

[RYANINMICHIGAN]

He needs to go and for more then just this

[time2shoot]

At least you got a response.

[RunningOnMT]

Doncha just love these clowns. I once wrote my senator about illegal immigration, and got a letter back lecturing me on the contributions (legal) immigrants have made to American society over the last two centuries. These people are masters at ignoring facts.

[zkovach]

Good old Carl levin is my senator too. He is as liberal and backwards thinking as the rest of them.

[Eddie N]

"The illegal manufacture and trafficking of firearms..."
There's your sign.

[Gun Geezer]

And of course, banning illegally manufactured arms will prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorists, etc. Ya, right!

[jack404]

hey take a look here , a good way to make money is to make guns as they be hard to get ..

[howlnmad]

Hmmmm, the old liberal double talk. Whoda thunk it?

[Double D]

Blah, blah blah puke puke spit spit....liberal nonsense......

[ryan42]

I dont think much of carl levin,another life long politician thats out of touch.

[aa1911]

Here's WA state's response to my letter:

Looks almost identical to the response I got about the Reciprocity Act of 2012! the last paragraph is verbatum.


Dear Mr. A,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty. I appreciate hearing from you on this matter.



In 2006 the United Nations General Assembly requested that the Secretary-General of the United Nations (U.N.) establish a group of governmental experts to draft parameters binding nations to common international standards with respect to import, export, and transfer of conventional arms. Between 2009 and 2012, the U.N. will hold Open Ended Work Group Meetings and Preparatory Committee Meetings in order to draft a treaty to be voted on at the 2012 U . N . Conference.



In October of 2009 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that "the U.S. is committed to actively pursuing a strong and robust treaty that contains the highest possible, legally-binding standards for the international transfer of conventional weapons." By limiting the use and exchange of small arms, countries can reduce the amount of irresponsible arms transfers to terrorist and radical organizations. This can ultimately help achieve a common goal by all nations, protecting their citizens while maintaining their national sovereignty.



Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced the Second Amendment Sovereignty Act (S. 2205) on March 19, 2012. If enacted, this legislation would prohibit the use of U.S. funds from being used to negotiate a UN Small Arms Treaty. S. 2205 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations where it currently awaits further review.



Please know that a fundamental goal for me as your Senator is to work to uphold the rights guaranteed by our Constitution. Just as I am committed to protecting Second Amendment rights, I believe you would agree with my long-standing conviction that we must keep guns out of the hands of criminals and children. I believe that our first step in reducing crime and make our communities safer should be stricter enforcement of existing gun laws that punish illegal use of firearms and that make access to guns harder for children and criminals.



As your Senator, you can be assured that I will work to protect the legitimate rights of law-abiding American gun-owners, while continuing to support responsible gun control legislation to I believe both of these goals are important and can be simultaneously accomplished through common-sense gun laws and stricter enforcement of existing laws



While the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty has not come to a vote on the Senate floor, please be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind should I have the opportunity to consider this issue in the future.



Thank you again for contacting me to share your thoughts on this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of further assistance.




Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator

For future correspondence with my office, please visit my website at
http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html

[BlackEagle]

Dear Sir/Madam
What...you don't like me? But I responded to all your letters.
As soon as my secretary saw the subject matter she found the appropriate file in the computer, added your name and address and sent it off. I hope you liked the personal touch.

Signed,
Your liberal political beneficent paternal controller.

I make more money than you do and I duped enough people to vote me into office, so I can tell you what to do and how to live your life.

[rcairflr]

Originally Posted by 1969SS396

After signing the online petition, I got a response from my Senator.........


Thank you for contacting me about the proposed United Nations (UN) Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). I appreciate hearing your views on this matter.

The illegal manufacture and trafficking of firearms contributes to crime and violence around the world by arming criminals, terrorists, and other militant groups. Illicit firearms, especially small arms and light weapons, can destabilize entire regions by fueling armed conflict and violence against innocent civilians. In addition, the presence of such weapons complicates humanitarian relief programs, peacekeeping initiatives and the development of democratic societies. According to the United Nations, there are more than 875 million small arms and light weapons in circulation worldwide, and these weapons are responsible for approximately 300,000 deaths every year.



Thank you again for contacting me.

Sincerely,
Carl Levin
levin.senate.gov

You should have asked him "what about 'Fast and Furious'" Didn't the Obama administration supply arms to criminals?

[JohnHenry]

SS396 .....
For "our" resident Professional Politicians ( carl levin and debbie stab-me-now ) we can
thank two groups of people .... the residents of the Detroit, Flint, Lansing and Ann Arbor metro-plex and the folks that didn't bother to get out and vote. In short we have no one but ourselves to blame for the mess that Michigan politics are in .

[rcairflr]

Here's the response I received from my Congressman in Kansas:






Dear Mark:



Thank you for contacting me regarding the United Nations (UN) Small Arms Treaty, also known as the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with me. In order to make sound decisions, it is important for me to hear from Kansans.



In 2006, the UN adopted a resolution to move toward an ATT, with the purpose of creating a regulatory infrastructure to control international arms trading. After the UN adopted the resolution, the Bush Administration refused to enter negotiations on the matter seeing that it would infringe on Americans' Second Amendment rights. Without the United States involved in the talks, the UN postponed the initial drafting of the ATT. The Obama Administration reversed this decision soon after taking office and is now engaged in negotiations.



Past UN discussions on arms control have yielded several provisions that raise serious Second Amendment concerns, including: a ban on civilian possession of firearms, a registration or reporting system for all civilian firearms, and heavy restrictions on civilian firearms commerce.



Given our history as a nation founded on individual freedom and the right to bear arms, I find it offensive that these types of provisions are even being entertained. The founders of our nation crafted the Constitution to protect the inalienable rights of every citizen. To ratify an ATT would put these rights in jeopardy because international treaties enjoy equal status with the Constitution under U.S. law. While the President has the power to negotiate the treaty, the Senate has the final say in its ratification with a 2/3 majority.



I recently signed a letter, with 130 of my House colleagues, informing the Administration that we expect them to reject any treaty that interferes with any of our Constitutional rights. I have also co-sponsored a House Resolution expressing the sense of the House that the President should not sign the treaty, and if he does, that no funds should be appropriated to enforce it unless the treaty is ratified by the Senate. You may be interested to know that I gave a speech on the House floor last year explaining just a few of the potential dangers of this treaty. You can view this speech on my website at: http://pompeo.house.gov/News/Documen...umentID=302353



Thanks to the grassroots efforts of pro-freedom Americans like you, negotiations on this treaty have been suspended. However, the danger is not over. There will be continued efforts to revive the Arms Trade Treaty. I will continue to stand against any and all efforts to limit the right to keep and bear arms—whether it comes from an international body or from our own government



If you have any additional concerns, please do not hesitate to call on me or Blake Hollander of my Washington, D.C. staff. It is an honor to serve the people of Kansas in the United States Congress.




Sincerely,

Mike Pompeo
Member of Congress

[al45lc]

Now that's a good letter! And a good American.

[01brian]

That Kansas letter was refreshing. I quit writing to the dems, they don't give a hoot what I think anyway and are going to do the opposite.

[1969SS396]

Makes a guy want to move to Kansas

[lonewolf204]

Here is the reply from my Oklahoma Senator!



Dear Mr. Davis,

Thank you for writing in opposition to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. It is good to hear from you.

As you may know, in July the United Nations held a conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, with the goal of regulating the global arms trade. The conference did not agree to any treaty, however. If the UN had agreed to a treaty, President Obama would have had the constitutional authority to enter into it, but it could not become binding law until ratified and approved by two-thirds of the Senate.

I do not believe there are enough senators to ratify a treaty of this nature. In fact, during negotiation of the treaty, 44 senators, including myself, signed a letter distributed by Senator Jerry Moran notifying President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton that we would oppose ratification of any treaty that “in any way restricts the rights of law-abiding U.S. citizens to manufacture, assemble, possess, transfer or purchase firearms, ammunition, and related items.” (http://bit.ly/Q4ZU5G)

In the letter, we noted our concern with the hostility of previous treaty resolutions’ language regarding private gun ownership, such as the call for the “highest possible standard” of control. We also noted that UN member states have regularly argued that an arms trade treaty, to be effective, would require controls on transfers within states. Such controls could result in unacceptable infringement of Second Amendment rights. We were also concerned the treaty could be overly broad, covering “all types of conventional weapons,” making it unenforceable. Finally, we stated our intention to oppose any treaty that placed the burden of controlling crime on law-abiding U.S. citizens rather than the states who have failed to block trafficking that is already illegal under existing laws and agreements.

Although the Arms Trade Treaty failed, supporters of the treaty have said they will continue pursuing it. I remained concerned that a UN treaty on the arms trade would compromise U.S. sovereignty and could increase violent crime. Placing restrictions on law-abiding American gun owners will not curtail the brutal violence in other parts of the world. Instead, governments should enforce the laws already in place, secure national borders, and punish those who commit criminal acts.

I recently became a co-sponsor of the Second Amendment Sovereignty Act (S. 2205) which would prohibit the Administration from using the “voice, vote, and influence” of the United States during the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty negotiations to restrict in any way the Second Amendment rights of U.S. citizens, including regulation of civilian firearms and ammunition.

Our freedom as a nation depends on our return to the principles of the U.S. Constitution and this cannot be achieved by trampling on the Second Amendment. I will work to ensure the rights of Americans are upheld. I oppose any and all efforts to mandate gun control on law-abiding citizens. As a gun owner myself, I staunchly support gun ownership and firmly believe we have a constitutional right to bear arms. At the federal level, you can be sure I will continue my efforts to strengthen our right to bear arms. Additional gun control laws will do nothing to improve safety or reduce crime. In fact, gun restrictions, no matter how well-intentioned, will simply ensure that only criminals have access to guns. For more information about my efforts to protect the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding citizens, please see my website: http://bit.ly/JesLmE

Thank you for contacting me about this issue. I will do all that I can to oppose gun control legislation and keep international law out of the U.S. judicial system. Best wishes.

Sincerely,
Tom A. Coburn, M.D.
United States Senator

TC: cak

[Donnie D]

And another great response from my senator in North Carolina:

Dear Mr. Lassiter:

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. I appreciate hearing from you.

I believe that the Second Ammendment right to bear arms is a fundamental right of law-abiding citizens. Elected officials, and government generally, should not be engaged in efforts to take away individual freedoms that are reserved for the people by our Constitution.

I have heard from a number of fellow North Carolinians who are concerned about the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which is currently being negotiated. The Obama Administration has parcipitated in the negotiation process, and it was expected that the ATT would be completed by July 27, 2012 at the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty in NewYork City

I am pleased to report, however, that on the final day of the ATT Conference negotiators failed to meet the deadline to reach an agreement and complete the treaty. In order for an agreement to be reached, approval is required by all 193 member states of the United Nations. For this reason negotiations for the ATT have been postponed until later this year.

As your United States Senator, I believe it is critical that any international arms treaty submited to the Senate ensures that Americans' gun ownership rights are protected and that United States sovereignty is not weakened. I am troubled by UN preparitory committee report language and other documents which seem to favor the creation of a broad, sweeping treaty that would regulate all types of conventional weapons, including small arms, regardless of their purpose.

For this reason, I joined a bipartisan group of 51 Senators in signing a letter to the President and Secretary Clinton stating that, should the President submit the Treaty to the Senate for approval, I will oppose ratification of the U. N. Arms Trade Treaty if our constitutional right to bear arms is in any way weakened. I believe this letter has sent a strong message to the Administration, as ratification requires a two-thirds majority vote by the United States Senate. Please know that I will oppose any treaty or law that would infringe on the rights of gun owners.

Again, thank you for contacting me. Should you have any additional questions or comments please do not hesitate to let me know. Sincerely.
Richard Burr
United States Senator



Donnie D

[BlackEagle]

Good letters. Glad to hear that. At least some of the government has retained a sense of patriotism and wants to retain the Constitution.

[IRON99]

From my Senator from Florida

Dear Mr. Zell,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. I'm grateful for your thoughts and for the opportunity to respond.

As you may know, in October 2009, under the direction of President Obama, the U.S. voted to participate in the negotiation of United Nations Arms Trade Treaty in the United Nations General Assembly. The purpose of this treaty is to create a set of international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms, and a conference is currently being held to finalize this agreement. As the process currently stands, I am concerned that the Arms Trade Treaty poses serious dangers to the constitutional rights of Americans. Our Second Amendment rights are not negotiable.

It is evident to me that certain parts of the treaty challenge our individual freedoms. One clear example is the limitation of the transfer of arms within member states. Additionally, the treaty is also designed to control the transfer of arms from non-state actors, placing the burden of controlling crime on law-abiding citizens instead of on the member states of the U.N. For these reasons, I have co-sponsored the Second Amendment Sovereignty Act (S.2205), a bill which prohibits funding to negotiate a U.N. Arms Trade Treaty that restricts the Second Amendment rights of U.S. citizens.
 

As a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, please know that I am following the development of this treaty process closely. I appreciate your opinions, and I look forward to serving the people of Florida.


Sincerely,

Marco Rubio
United States Senator

Then from the other one

Dear Mr. Zell:

Thank you for sharing your concerns about gun control and the ongoing talks at the United Nations (UN) about a treaty to regulate the illicit trade in small arms. I support the constitutional right to bear arms. I grew up on a ranch in Florida, and have hunted since I was a boy.

The UN is planning on its Arms Trade Treaty being finalized in 2012. Secretary of State Clinton said that the U.S. would participate in these negotiations in order to prevent terrorist groups and insurgents from receiving illicit arms. As with all treaties, the U.S. Senate must vote ratify any treaty. I would never vote in support of a treaty that would impact the right to bear arms or require regulation of domestic sales of arms. You can be sure that I will keep your thoughts in mind whenever the Senate considers firearms issues.

Sincerely,
Bill Nelson