Senator Signs 'Friend of Court' Brief In Gun Rights Case Before Supreme Court

Joining legislators from all 50 states, Senator Nelson signed on to a "friend of the court" brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Chicago 's handgun ban and gun registration regulations as an unconstitutional violation of the Second Amendment. The issue in the case, McDonald v. City of Chicago , is whether the right to keep and bear arms extends to the states through the 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court in 2008 struck down a similar ban in the District of Columbia. "The Constitution clearly grants every citizen the right to defend ourselves, and this is an attack on the Second Amendment rights of every American -- not just the residents of one city," Senator Nelson said.