Posted on 09/11/2008 1:45:13 PM PDT by neverdem
A House committee approved a bill yesterday that would allow D.C. officials to write their own gun laws, as D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and others tried to forestall more drastic congressional intervention.
But Norton (D) acknowledged that the real showdown on the District's gun laws will come on the House floor, probably next week. There, a tougher bill that would eliminate most D.C. gun regulations probably will be offered as a substitute for Norton's measure. The full House will probably approve the tougher measure, according to congressional sources.
"I wish I could tell you this is the end of this," Norton said after yesterday's 21 to 1 vote in favor of her bill in the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Rep. Tom Davis (Va.), the leading Republican on the committee, said yesterday that the important thing "isn't what happens here, but what happens on the floor next week."
The congressional actions come less than three months after a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the city's 32-year-old ban on handguns. The District has replaced the ban with temporary legislation that permits residents to register revolvers for self-defense in the home. But many members of Congress have complained that the District remains overly restrictive.
Norton's legislation would allow D.C. officials to rewrite their gun laws within 180 days to comply with the court ruling. It is aimed at stopping the more sweeping bill sponsored by Rep. Travis W. Childers (D-Miss.) that would bar the D.C. government from passing laws that "discourage or eliminate" the use of firearms.
Childers's legislation...
--snip--
Norton and her allies on the committee have reacted with alarm to the Childers bill, saying it would allow residents to carry loaded semiautomatic weapons and .50-caliber sniper rifles around the District, increasing the risk of a terrorist attack...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Gun Bill Could Strip D.C. Of Control - Congress Weighs Repealing Ban On Semiautomatics
Good to see my donations to the NRA going to good use.
Well, it wasn't like The Supreme Court ruled on this subject/sarc
Why? They've already rewritten them once to flip their finger at SCOTUS. What's another 180 days gonna do?
The ban on semi-autos is already unconstitutional, as far as the court is concerned.
So the Republicans on this committee voted for DC to enact their own laws. And not thinking that if it passes it will be used by other Cities as a legal precedent.
I’m guessing none of these ninnies has the faintest idea how much a “.50 caliber sniper rifle” weighs or costs, or how much it costs to feed.
Semi-automatic is another word for “self-loading.” In my mind, self loading is no different than pre-loading the 6 chambers of a revolver.
Just what is it about "Constitution" they just can't seem to grasp?
Out of all the congressional rulings Congress has decided they’re going to ignore..........
Hey Norton!!! American citizens aren't "terrorists". In fact that well armed militia would be far better able to prevent a terrorist attack than a defenseless one. Not that you would see anyone lugging around a 50 Caliber sniper rifle just because they can. And what in the world is wrong with carrying around loaded semi-auto (normally called auto loading) hand guns? An unloaded one would be kinda useless.
Bottom line is the DC government is terrified of a right to carry law. If DC had a right to carry law, law abiding citizens could defend themselves. Dependency on the government whether through welfare or personal safety is the goal of the DC government.
Davis is retiring, and good riddance.
In my mind, self loading is no different than pre-loading the 6 chambers of a revolver.
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Double action revolver or semi automatic, they both fire every time the trigger is pulled. The semi is a little faster.
First, the semi-auto is legal to carry in most states, with no bloodbath, much less a terrorist one. Second, who the hell would haul a .50 cal around the city given the exhaustion and attracted attention that would occur? Wait, I see it, concealed .50 cals! These idiots know enough about weapons to suggest that as a possibility.
If so I'd advise her to get one. And about 50 rounds of ammo ~ she'll need that Fur Shur. Carry it in her purse. All the time!
Self-loading must be what those hollywood picture guns do all the time. That’s probably why they can fire a zillion times.
I own an M-82 and with the bipod and scope it’s a hefty buggger and it’s also very unconcealable. I don’t know why so many libs get in a twitter over these rifles because you can’t hardly hide the bloody things in your pants pocket!
I’m certain they don’t have a clue.
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