WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Andrew Clyde (GA-09), in partnership with the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ), filed a Supreme Court amicus brief in the case Viramontes v. Cook County (consolidated with Grant v. Higgins), a major Second Amendment case addressing the constitutionality of semi-automatic rifles. More than 60 House Republicans joined Rep. Clyde on the brief.

In Viramontes v. Cook County, the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether the Second Amendment protects the right to possess semi-automatic rifles such as AR-15s, after Cook County, Illinois and the State of Connecticut enacted bans on these firearms, which were upheld by the lower courts. The brief argues that the Supreme Court should overrule the lower courts and declare such bans unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.

In the brief, the lawmakers argue:

“To hold that these rifles may be banned, not in spite of, but because they are effective in military service is to read the prefatory clause out of the Constitution, violate its plain text, and completely ignore this Court’s ruling in Heller. The Amendment protects, at minimum, arms that are in common use for lawful purposes and that bear a reasonable relationship to the citizen-militia tradition the clause celebrates. Military small arms that meet the common-use test, of which the AR-15 is a quintessential example, must therefore sit near the heart of the right, not outside it.”

“Much to gun-grabbing Democrats’ dismay, the Second Amendment is abundantly clear,” said Clyde. “‘Shall not be infringed’ is not a suggestion, regardless of the firearm in question. Semi-automatic rifles, including AR-15s, are owned by millions of law-abiding Americans, as it is well within our constitutional rights to do so. As an unapologetic voice in the fight to protect and restore our Second Amendment liberties, I’m proud to lead this amicus effort, and I’m confident the Supreme Court will declare these bans for what they are: blatantly unconstitutional.”

The brief was joined by 62 House Republicans, including Representatives Jodey Arrington (TX-19), Brian Babin (TX-36), Jim Baird (IN-04), Nick Begich (AK-At-Large), Sheri Biggs (SC-03), Lauren Boebert (CO-04), Josh Brecheen (OK-02), Tim Burchett (TN-02), Eric Burlison (MO-07), Ben Cline (VA-06), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Mike Collins (GA-10), Eli Crane (AZ-02), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Scott DesJarlais (TN-04), Troy Downing (MT-02), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), Julie Fedorchak (ND-At-Large), Randy Fine (FL-06), Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Russell Fry (SC-07), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Brandon Gill (TX-26), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Michael Guest (MS-03), Pat Harrigan (NC-10), Andy Harris (MD-01), Mark Harris (NC-08), Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Kevin Hern (OK-01), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Erin Houchin (IN-09), Wesley Hunt (TX-38), Brian Jack (GA-03), Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13), Nancy Mace (SC-01), Tracey Mann (KS-01), Thomas Massie (KY-04), Tom McClintock (CA-05), Rich McCormick (GA-07), Addison McDowell (NC-06), John McGuire (VA-05), Mary Miller (IL-15), Barry Moore (AL-01), Riley Moore (WV-02), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Bob Onder (MO-03), Scott Perry (PA-10), Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), John Rose (TN-06), Chip Roy (TX-21), Michael Rulli (OH-06), John Rutherford (FL-05), Keith Self (TX-03), Jefferson Shreve (IN-06), Adrian Smith (NE-03), Dave Taylor (OH-02), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), and Derrick Van Orden (WI-03). 

View the full amicus brief HERE.

Read Breitbart’s exclusive on the brief HERE.