Posted on 05/16/2010 10:53:18 AM PDT by KeyLargo
LAUTENBERG INTRODUCES 'FIREARM-FREE AIRPORTS ACT'
Posted: May 14th, 2010 09:50 AM GMT-05:00
US Fed News
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- The office of Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-N.J., issued the following news release:
As the state of Georgia is about to enact a law that will allow people to carry a loaded gun into the state's airports - including Hartsfield-Jackson International - the world's largest, U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today introduced the Firearm-Free Airports Act to strengthen airport security and protect the safety of passengers and airline employees by banning individuals from carrying firearms into commercial airports nationwide.
"In the post-9/11 world, it simply defies common sense that it would be legal to carry a gun into an airport," Lautenberg said. "Our airports face threats every day and allowing someone to walk into a major airport with a loaded gun is a recipe for disaster. My legislation will ban guns in airports and make air travel more safe and secure."
Lautenberg's measure, the Firearm-Free Airports Act, would make it illegal to carry a gun into non-federally regulated areas of an airport, including the airport lobby, baggage claim area and ticket counter. The legislation would make an exception for law enforcement, security personnel, and military personnel on active duty and it would not change current federal regulations that allow passengers to transport unloaded firearms in a locked case in their checked baggage.
The bill in Georgia awaiting the signature of Governor Sonny Purdue would allow people to bring loaded firearms into the state's airports, and freely carry them in any part of the airport before passengers go through TSA security screening. As a result of this new state law, someone would be able to walk into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the largest airport in the world with 90 million passengers a year, with a loaded gun.
At a May 6th hearing of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee, Lautenberg questioned U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about whether loaded guns should be allowed in airports.
The Attorney General responded to Lautenberg by saying, "The notion that people could bring guns to airports, especially given the Al Qaeda focus on the use of airplanes as terrorist tools, is one that to me is very worrisome."
Click here to watch Senator Lautenberg's question and Attorney General Holder's response:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P498Hl3HKGk
How about an ‘illegal alien free Arizona’ Senator Lautenberg?
>>The Attorney General responded to Lautenberg by saying, “The notion that people could bring guns to airports, especially given the Al Qaeda focus on the use of airplanes as terrorist tools, is one that to me is very worrisome.”
And how will this bill keep Al Qaeda out of airports?? Sounds like it’s more designed to keep law-abiding Americans from protecting themselves from Democrats (i.e. criminals) in the parking lot.
Kind of an idiotic law. To enforce it effectively they’d have to move the security screening to the airport entry, or possibly have two levels of security screening.
How about an illegal alien free AMERICA??????
Is that him? OMG he’s old. Did I say that out loud?
I’m not sure that the Dem leadership is too on having a gun control fight in a blowout election year...
His name is actually Lautencadaver
He’s 86 (only Robert Byrd is older in the Senate). BTW, Frank declared way back in 1982 that his 72-year old opponent was TOO OLD to be serving in the Senate.
The Lout, didn’t he die or something a few months back ... Never mind. Are airports federal land? The SC just said federal government only had firearms jurisdiction over federal land and that the Second Amendment specifically applied to the limits on the federal government.
Haven’t we had enough failure with gun free schools to prove the point?
So how is this Constitutional?
We can no longer sit silent.
Hey,, maybe if we all got behind him on this it could stop an Al Qeida attack at an airport. There they would stand,, completely foiled, right at the front door.
The problem is that these guys have so little brain matter, it is impossible for them to imagine anything.
I can imagine him doing a lot of things.
None them are particularly pleasant.
LOL
Hmmm, frightening.
Hey, I’m ok with this...When the airlines and people who work in the airline support industry wonder why they are not getting the revenue they are expecting...And go screaming to Uncle Sucky for a bailout...
hehehe...No...
I hope there are some people in NJ that might grow some stones and toss Lautenberg out on his arse...
But I am thinking there are not enough people (in NJ) with stones enough to do so...
Prove me wrong...
They are banking on the U.N. treaty.
Any restriction on the carrying of firearms, including in airports, on airplanes, or in schools, is an infringement of the American citizen’s right under the second amendment.
“Lautenberg’s measure, the Firearm-Free Airports Act, would make it illegal to carry a gun into non-federally regulated areas of an airport, including the airport lobby, baggage claim area and ticket counter. “
The Lopez case (a SCOTUS repudiation of the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 ) would appear to make Lautenberg’s proposed federal law unconstitutional.
“In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeals. It held that while Congress had broad lawmaking authority under the Commerce Clause, the power was limited, and did not extend so far from “commerce” as to authorize the regulation of the carrying of handguns, especially when there was no evidence that carrying them affected the economy on a massive scale.
Trying to soften up the commerce clause for 0bamacare mandates perhaps? If the federal government wants to eliminate guns from airports, they would need to federalize the entire airport.
This bill is unconstitutional and ill-advised. The second amendment right belongs to the people and cannot be usurped by the federal government or the state under these circumstances.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.