December 2, 2009

The Courier of Mongomery County

Legislator continues his campaign for state rights

By Lucretia Cardenas

The crusade a local state representative started last legislative session to stop federal government "overreaching" continues outside of Austin.

Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, recently sent letters to Texas senators and congressmen urging them to oppose the Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act 2009. Introduced in January, the bill remains in the U.S. House subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.

To Creighton, the bill, which calls for licensing requirements for possession of firearms and a federal record and tracking system of firearm sales, infringes on Americans' Second Amendment rights to bear arms.

Creighton said he's received numerous calls, e-mails and comments from concerned constituents regarding the issue and he wants to make sure their voices are heard.

But the Blair Holt's Act is just one of many issues Creighton is concerned about when it comes to the federal government. He said the main problem resonates with the federal government overstepping its boundaries.

"For months, I've been very vocal about actions by the federal government," Creighton said. "We seem to be seeing the federal government overtaking issues that should be left to the states and ignoring issues, such as border security, that should be handled on a federal level."

Creighton first made his views on the issue widely known when he submitted House Concurrent Resolution 50 in the spring, which asks the federal leaders to restrict their governance to the limits outlined in the 10th Amendment.

"The resolution said that there are things that Texas ought to be left to decide for itself," Creighton said.

"Whittling" away at the right to bear arms is just one of many items the federal government should not be addressing. Creighton said everywhere he goes, people stop him to ask about this specific issue because they fear their rights may be infringed, he said.

Creighton also sent letters to Texas senators and representatives regarding health care and cap and trade, again with emphasis on the federal government overstepping its boundaries. Each letter is sent on Texas Conservative Coalition letterhead. The TCC is a state legislative caucus focused on limited government and individual liberties.

"If it's about the Constitution, you'll find me consistently vocal about it," Creighton said.

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