On September 24 Breitbart News’ AWR Hawkins was awarded the “Gun Rights Defender of the Year” at the Second Amendment Foundation’s 31st Annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC).

Upon receiving the award, Hawkins tweeted that he was “honored beyond words.”

Honored beyond words to receive Gun Rights Defender of Year award at @2AFDN's 31st Annual GRPC @BreitbartNews @NRA pic.twitter.com/NavkgR4UAb — AWR Hawkins (@AWRHawkins) September 24, 2016

He told Breitbart News:

The award came as a surprise and I was honored to be recognized as someone who defends the Second Amendment at that level. I wake up every day, turn on my computer, and begin emailing my editor about stories I think we need to cover as way to uphold the right to keep and bear arms on the one hand, while exposing the left’s relentless efforts to take away our freedom on the other. I do the same thing every day because the fight does not end, and it was encouraging to have a group like the Second Amendment Foundation recognize those efforts.

Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alexander Marlow stated, “Dr.Hawkins is a tireless defender of the Constitution. He has made Breitbart.com one of the world’s foremost resources on the topic of guns. And perhaps more importantly, he’s a decent man and a great colleague. It’s nice to see him get the recognition he so richly deserves.”

AWR Hawkins won the “Journalist of the Year” award at the 30th Annual GRPC in 2015.