FAIRFAX, VA. The National Rifle Association (NRA) announced today that leading Second Amendment advocate Ted Cruz, the former Solicitor General of Texas, is the 2010 recipient of the Harlon B. Carter-George S. Knight Freedom Fund award. The announcement comes as the U. S. Supreme Court announced its historic decision in the McDonald v. Chicago case. Cruz's efforts in defense of gun rights played a significant role in laying the groundwork for that major victory.

For over a decade, Cruz has been instrumental in many significant legal battles in the fight to preserve the Second Amendment. He is perhaps best known for his work with the NRA on the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, District of Columbia v. Heller. During that effort, Cruz assembled an impressive coalition of 31 diverse states behind an amicus brief in which he defended the individual right to keep and bear arms and argued that the Second Amendment should be binding on every state and local government.

In addition, Cruz has long been an outspoken advocate of Second Amendment rights, making the public case for our constitutional rights in venues as varied as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Bar Association, and The Newshour with Jim Lehrer.

NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Chairman, Bill Dailey said, "Ted Cruz's contributions in the District of Columbia v. Heller and the McDonald v. Chicago cases were vital to the Supreme Court's ruling in the favor of gun rights. We are deeply grateful for his unwavering efforts in our fight to protect the Second Amendment."

Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, Chris Cox added, "The Heller and McDonald decisions were victories for all gun owners in the United States, and Ted Cruz played a crucial role. He is one of the ablest lawyers in America, and we are fortunate to have him on our side of the courtroom."

Established in 1989, the Harlon B. Carter-George S. Knight Freedom Fund seeks to reward exemplary activities in the support and protection of the right to keep and bear arms, annually. The Fund awards a sum of money to individuals on three levels: federal, state, and local. Recipients are nominated by a committee composed of the chairman of the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund, the executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, and the senior ranking member of the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund, and must be approved by a majority of the members of the board of trustees of the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund.

In response to receiving this prestigious award from the NRA, Cruz said: "It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by an organization that has done so much to protect our basic liberties. I am proud to fight side-by-side with the NRA to defend our constitutional right to keep and bear arms."

To learn more about the Harlon B. Carter-George S. Knight Freedom Fund Award, contact Robert Dowlut at (703) 267-1254.