Here is an e-mail reply from Congressman Visclosky (D-IN 1st District) to one of my friends from an e-mail appeal. Think about this the next time you vote. To his credit, at least you know where he stands.

"Thank you for contacting me to express your views regarding gun control discussions in the aftermath of the recent shooting in Connecticut. I appreciate hearing from you.

I share your concerns. I was shocked and heartbroken to learn of the horrific shooting that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the victims of these attacks and their families for their unfathomable loss. As this marks the seventh mass shooting in the United States in 2012 alone, I firmly believe that Congress must take decisive action to prevent such senseless tragedies from happening again.

While I support the possession of legal firearms by responsible law abiding citizens, I am opposed to the availability of military assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices, which pose serious threats to public safety and the law enforcement officers who risk their lives protecting us. I believe that there are certain actions we can take to ensure that adequate safety protections exist to reduce the overall level of violence in this country, which in no way means that people shouldn't continue to enjoy their second amendment rights.

That is why, in the 103rd Congress, I supported the assault weapons ban, which prohibited the manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons, including those with a large capacity ammunition feeding device. I deeply regret that President Bush allowed this ban to expire in 2004. Also in the 103rd Congress, I supported passage of the Brady Act, currently known as the national instant criminal background check system, which requires background checks for all firearm transfers and purchases.

You may be interested to know that Rep. Carolyn McCarthy has introduced H.R. 138, the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act, which would reinstate the ban on semiautomatic weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices. Specifically, the measure would prohibit the transfer or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, except for its lawful possession within the United States on or before the date of this act's enactment, and by law enforcement officers. The measure also would prohibit the importation of such a device, and would require large capacity ammunition feeding devices to be identified by a serial numbers.

H.R. 138 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, where it is currently pending consideration. The measure has one cosponsor, and a companion measure has not been introduced in the Senate.

As the nation continues to make sense of the tragedy at Sandy Hook, I hope that our country will have a serious and thoughtful discussion to ensure that we find a proper balance between Americans' right to own guns and the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Thank you again for contacting me. Do not hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
Peter J. Visclosky
Member of Congress"