Jared Polis canned response

Better than most Dems. I suspect it's expedient:

February 13, 2013

Dxxxx Xxxxxxxx
XXXX XXXXX XX
Broomfield, CO

Dear Dxxxx:

Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts on the recent debate about guns. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue and apologize for any delay in my reply.

As you may know, I am a strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights, and I feel strongly that we have a responsibility to protect the rights of lawful Americans to own guns for protection, recreation and sport. I am skeptical that an outright ban on particular weaponry would have any meaningful impact on violent crime. I fear that some of the policies being proposed by a number of my colleagues in Congress would make it more difficult for Colorado families to defend themselves when in harm's way, and could also interfere with the recreational use of certain weapons by law-abiding Coloradans. While I support parts of the President's plan to reduce gun violence, I am also skeptical of the price tag associated with it. The $500 million that it would take to implement this plan could be better spent reducing the deficit and investing in critical education improvements and mental health services.

I believe that the best way to reduce violent crime is to ensure that kids have access to opportunities and jobs and do not turn to crime or join gangs out of desperation. One of my top priorities in Congress has been reforming our education system. I am a strong supporter of the Race to the Top program, with the goal of rewarding states that implement beneficial education reforms including parental choice, better professional development and teacher training, turning around failing schools, closing the achievement gap, charter schools, and better data systems to identify best practices. To support these efforts, I recently introduced H.R. 426, the Race to the Top Act, which would expand the program to school districts and reauthorize the program for five years, giving states the support they need to implement comprehensive reforms and compete for federal funding. This legislation prioritizes rural and high-poverty districts and supports increased teacher and principal effectiveness to ensure that all students have equal opportunity to succeed. The Race to the Top program has already unleashed a wave of creative education reforms all around the nation. By better educating our children and understanding their environments at school, we can provide a place of learning that is safe and addresses the needs of our most vulnerable.

In addition to supporting education reforms, Congress must work to increase and improve mental health resources. While the vast majority of those who suffer from mental illness are as non-violent as those who don't, many recent gun tragedies that our nation has suffered have been perpetrated by individuals who may have suffered from mental illness. It is past due for Congress to address the lack of treatment and assistance we offer our mentally disabled citizens. By supporting efforts to install more highly trained counselors in our schools and to provide the resources that parents, families, teachers and employers need, we can help those who suffer from mental illness while reducing the kinds of mass shootings to which our nation has sadly grown accustomed. I am hopeful that Congress will respond to these tragic shootings in a way that makes our nation safer while continuing to uphold the liberties guaranteed by the Constitution.

Thank you again for contacting me on this important issue. I hope my letter addresses your particular concerns. If I can be of any further assistance on this, or any other issue, please do not hesitate to contact me at (303) 484-9596. I also encourage you to visit my website and sign up to receive my e-newsletter at http://www.polis.house.gov.

JP/al


Sincerely,





Jared Polis
Member of Congress