Posted on 02/24/2004 5:55:47 PM PST by yonif
WASHINGTON - Three Republican senators agreed Tuesday to support renewal of the soon-to-expire assault weapons ban, a small victory for gun control proponents as the Senate prepares to wade into several contentious gun issues this election year.
The GOP-controlled Senate plans to take up legislation Wednesday that would immunize gun manufacturers and distributors from lawsuits that arise from crimes in which guns were used.
Senate Republicans have enough votes to approve the legislation. Democrats plan to force votes on at least two other gun issues they want to attach to it, however, amendments to renew the assault weapons ban and to require background checks for all purchasers at gun shows.
Gun rights groups plan to urge majority Republicans to defeat both measures. The GOP-controlled House already has said it does not plan to approve the extension of the assault weapons ban.
"To protect the future of America's millions of gun owners, it is vital that the Senate pass (the lawsuits immunization bill) without any antigun amendments," the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action said on its Web site.
The White House also urged the Senate to pass the legislation without amendments.
"The administration urges the Senate to pass a clean bill, in order to ensure enactment of the legislation this year," the White House said in a statement. "Any amendment that would delay enactment of the bill beyond this year is unacceptable."
Getting the 1994 assault weapons prohibition renewed has been a Democratic priority this year. They picked up support Tuesday from GOP Sens. John Warner of Virginia, Mike DeWine of Ohio and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island.
"Although I voted against the ban a decade ago, over the past 10 years it has reduced crime dramatically and has made our streets safer," Warner said. "The legislation also has protected the rights of gun owners better than many of us predicted."
The three GOP senators' support does not guarantee the amendment's approval in the Senate, but "this gives the effort to renew the assault weapons ban new momentum," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a sponsor of the original assault weapons ban.
Republicans, along with several Senate Democrats, have been pushing for the gun immunity legislation for some time. Gun advocates say firearm makers shouldn't be forced to spend millions of dollars fighting off lawsuits designed to win large rewards and bankrupt them for making legal products.
"The manufacturer or seller of a legal, nondefective product should not be held liable for the criminal or unlawful misuse of that product by others," the White House said.
Democrats like Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota agreed to get behind the legislation after gun supporters accepted a specification that firearms manufacturers and distributors would not be protected from lawsuits that involved defective products or illegal sales.
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The bill number is S. 1805.
On the Net:
Bill text: http://thomas.loc.gov
NRA Oks Strategy to Force Pro-Gun Senators to Support Assault Weapons Ban, Gun Show InstaChecks
Your worst nightmare has come true!
Tomorrow morning (10 am Eastern Time), the Senate leadership -- headed by the feckless Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn) -- is prepared to push a comprehensive gun package which includes:
-- the gun liability bill (S. 659);
-- an extension of the so-called "Assault Weapons" ban;
-- a "Gun Show Loophole" bill, which will kill all gun shows.
And the NRA-ILA is getting ready to urge supposedly pro-gun senators to vote for the entire package!
When the bill comes to the Senate floor, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) and John McCain (R-Ariz) are expected to offer amendments to re-enact the so-called "Assault Weapons" ban and to "close the gun show loophole."
Insiders with decades of experience lobbying Congress on gun issues report one or both of these amendments are likely to pass with the NRA's silent backing.
The "gun show loophole" amendment would effectively eliminate gun shows. This is because it would be a felony to fail to notify each and every "person who attends the [gun show] of the [requirements of the Brady Law]." Thus, if the person responsible for handing out "Brady Law pamphlets" goes to the bathroom, each and every member of the board of the sponsoring organization could go to prison.
What everyone on the Hill knows is that, if the the NRA's silent deal stands, there are a majority of votes in the US Senate to reauthorize the Assault Weapons ban, and there may be the votes to close the "Gun Show Loophole."
The NRA and Frist will quietly pressure pro-gun senators to vote for these amendments -- complete with an extension of the Assault Weapons gun ban and the McCain language to eliminate gun shows.
Of course, the NRA is publicly opposing the Assault Weapons ban amendment, but know quite well that their silent deal will enable it to pass.
The gig is up -- the NRA has crossed the line. The Assault Weapons ban is the most important piece of legislation to ever face gun owners, and they are playing games with it, all for a bill that will have only limited effect on manufacturers of firearms.
The gun liability bill is a big priority for the NRA and the Senate leadership. It would supposedly limit frivolous lawsuits against gun dealers and manufacturers. BUT it would CONTINUE TO ALLOW SUITS FOR NEGLIGENCE (dubbed "negligent entrustment" in the bill) AND FOR DESIGN DEFECT.
Since 34 (out of 34) local government suits raise charges of "negligence" -- and 27 out of 34 raise allegations of "design defect" -- S. 659 may not do much, and shouldn't be considered on the same plane of importance as the "Assault Weapons" ban reauthorization.
The NRA's strategy is to risk the permanent ban of all military style "assault weapons" so that they can pass a liability protection bill of dubious merit.
But their risk is our loss.
As part of the NRA silent deal, not one piece of mail has been dropped by the NRA to their members alerting them to the upcoming attack by the anti-gunners. Their silence has allowed the anti-gunners a golden opportunity to forever ban dozens of semi-auto firearms (and large capacity magazines) and destroy gun shows as we know them.
Of course, as all pro-gunners know, the only way gun owners win is when we all mobilize to defeat gun control. That's what we are doing right here, and right now.
This is a classic case of the dog that didn't bark. The NRA didn't warn members: as of the writing of this e-mail, there is nothing on their website regarding this deal.
Right now the only pressure on the US Senate is from the anti-gunners and the anti-gun media.
This will allow NRA operatives to quietly cut the deal to pass gun control, and say "This is the best we can do."
They'll chalk up one victory (the liability portion) and two defeats (assault weapons and gun shows), and hope the bill gets better in Conference. This kind of cavalier gambit is what they have used for decades, and gun owners always lose on these insider games.
What you can do:
Call the NRA-ILA immediately toll-free at 800-392-8683 and/or e-mail them at Federal-Affairs@nrahq.org
You can also e-mail one of the NRA-ILA Director of Federal Affairs, Chuck Cunningham, at ChuckC@visi.net.
Tell the NRA to immediately drop this idiotic plan to let the Assault Weapons ban -- or any other gun control -- be tacked onto any legislation, and to pull out all the stops to defeat these gun controls, or lose your membership forever. If you are not an NRA member, tell them you are not a member because of these kinds of appeasements of the gun-grabbers.
Also contact both of Colorado's US Senators. Don't wait until later: use the below sample communication to e-mail, fax, or call our US Senators immediately. Or better yet, contact them in all three manners
Senator Wayne Allard Phone: (202) 224-5941 Fax:(202) 224-6471 Contact via internet: http://allard.senate.gov/contactme (paste this url into your browser, and type letter in the online form, or paste the text below)
Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell Phone(202) 224-5852 Fax:(202) 228-4609 Contact via internet: http://campbell.senate.gov/email.htm (paste this url into your browser, and type letter in the online form, or paste the text below)
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SAMPLE COMMUNICATION
Dear Senator:
Senator Bill Frist will ask you to vote for an anti-gun package containing:
-- S. 659, the gun liability bill;
-- an extension of the so-called "Assault Weapons" gun ban;
-- a gun show amendment which would effectively put gun shows out of business.
S. 659 is not worth swallowing an extension on the Assault Weapons ban or restrictions on gun shows. Both of these measures would constitute very egregious violations of Congress' constitutional authority. I hope you will do everything in your power to make sure these amendments do not end up in the bill.
Please know that any senator who votes to extend the Assault Weapons ban -- in whatever form -- or to restrict gun shows will be recognized as the anti-gun politician that he is. I will be watching how you vote. Thank you.
Sincerely,
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Rocky Mountain Gun Owners Colorado's Largest Gun Rights Organization PO Box 3114 Denver, Colorado 80201 Phone & Fax (888) 874-3006 http://www.rmgo.org exdir@rmgo.org
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Mind if we quote you?
(Nice pic!)
.... . -.-- / -- --- -- / .. / -.-. .- -. / ... . . / --- ..- .-. / .... --- ..- ... . / ..-. .-. --- -- / .... . .-. .
Go ahead! I'm never wrong, even when I'm not technically correct in the sense of being "right".
But I'm confident in this one.
I hope you are right, but I'm not willing to bet on it.
NO! If we have to, pull the protection bill out and resubmit it AFTER this session. What you guys don't seem to get is that this is a lot more than just a ban. The Anti's are desperate to gain the upper hand once again. They have been pushed to reacting to our stances and agenda instead of us reacting to them. I cannot stress how important it is that the ban die.
Let me put it this way...
We can set the stage for the next fifty years if we play this right. We can undo a lot of the damage that has been done to our nation in the last century by these people. We can only do it if we stay proactive and compromise on absolutely nothing.
You may be willing to sacrifice your freedoms for a bit of protection, but in the long run, you sacrifice everything.
Mike
I just called Frist's office and told Travis the Phone Answerer to let the Senator know this exact thing. I'm not supporting Hagel or Nelson (from Nebraska) if they vote for anything that reauthorizes AWB. (truth be told, I'm not voting for Hagel the Globalist under any circumstances).
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