Posted on 01/06/2013 6:49:03 AM PST by Libloather
House Democrats have named the leaders of a new panel designed to fight gun violence.
The task force, formed in the wake of last month's shooting massacre in Newtown, Conn., will be led by lawmakers as diverse as Reps. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), an ardent supporter of gun control; John Dingell (Mich.), a long-time ally of the National Rifle Association; and Ron Barber (D-Ariz.), who was injured in the Tucson shooting that almost killed former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.).
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), appointed chairman of the panel last month by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), said the group's task will be two-fold: "To reduce and prevent gun violence while also protecting the rights of law-abiding individuals without a history of dangerous mental illness to own legitimate firearms for legitimate purposes."
The other vice chairs are Democratic Reps. Bill Enyart (Ill.), a military veteran; Elizabeth Esty (Conn.), who represents Newtown; Chaka Fattah (Penn.), an advocate of gun-buyback programs; Grace Napolitano (Calif.), a mental-healthcare advocate; Ed Perlmutter (Colo.), who represents the town of Aurora, where a gunman shot 70 people at a movie theater last summer; David Price (N.C.), senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee; Bobby Scott (Va.), senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime; Jackie Speier (Calif.), who was shot during a 1978 trip to investigate the notorious Jonestown cult in South America; and Bennie Thompson (Miss.), the chairman of the Congressional Sportsman’s Caucus, a pro-hunting group.
The panel says it will meet with gun-violence experts this month and recommend prevention strategies in February.
The issue of gun violence has generated numerous headlines in recent weeks following the massacre in Newtown, where a lone gunman stormed into Sandy Hook Elementary School and fatally shot 26 people – including 20 first-graders – before turning the gun on himself.
The shooter, a 20-year-old who reportedly had a history of mental illness, had also shot and killed his mother before going to the school, bringing the death toll to 28.
President Obama has also formed a gun violence task force in the aftermath of the massacre. Led by Vice President Joe Biden, a long-time supporter of tougher gun laws, the White House panel is expected to release its recommendations this month.
Meanwhile, at least 10 gun-related bills have already been introduced in the two days the House has been in session in the 113th Congress. Two of those are Republicans bills to ease Second Amendment restrictions, though most are Democratic proposals that would put new limitations on guns or firearm accessories.
The gun reformers have a tough road ahead. The National Rifle Association has already come out defiantly against any new law that makes it more difficult to buy or own guns. And Republican leaders on Capitol Hill have indicated they agree.
"We’re going to take a look at what happened there [in Newtown] and what can be done to help avoid it in the future," Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), the incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which oversees gun laws, told Roll Call last month. "But gun control is not going to be something that I would support."
There should be a crushing debt task force.
I wonder if they are going to pass a law making it illegal to murder someone.....
“”will be led by lawmakers as diverse “”
Sure doesn’t look very diverse to me...
And what the heck are “violence experts?”
Don’t let them do this. If they get their way. It will all be over.
Since we know there are more motorcycle deaths in America than by rifle...there needs to be a motorcycle death task force.
Since we have around a thousand people a year die by salmonella....then we ought to have a salmonella task force.
Since we know more American die by hammer or blunt force, than by mass shootings....then we ought to have a blunt force task force.
Since we know over a ten-year period...that almost 10k Americans died in farm-related accidents, then we ought to have a farm accident task force.
Since we know generally 700 people die each year from boating accidents...ten times the average number from mass shootings...then we ought to have a boat accident task force.
Since we know that various Senators and Representatives run corruption and investment schemes to benefit themselves or their contributors....then we ought to have a corruption task force.
Yes, on and on and on....only a task force will fix what ails America. Personally, I think if we just had a Bigfoot Task Force....we could finally get to the bottom of all these Bigfoot sightings.
They’re a bunch of weasels looking for ways to weasel us out of our RKBA. The house needs to throw any recommendations they come up with in the trash can. They have all made it perfectly clear that they’re trying to incrementally whittle away at gun rights until there are no gun rights. Furthermore, they don’t have half the support for their cause that they think they have. They create the illusion of broad based support for their agenda through control of the media. A handful of so called journalists, aided by a handful of radical liberal politicians, repeat the same carefully crafted propaganda over and over again trying to bend reality to their will instead of simply reporting on reality as journalists should. Don’t fall for it GOP or you’ll find yourselves out of work come the midterms. You work for us, not them.
BOHICA!
):^(
You what I would like to see, a Million Hunter/Defensive gun march on Washington DC specifically Congress in open carry. Preferably unloaded ( so we don’t have an accident).
though most are Democratic proposals that would put new limitations on guns or firearm accessories.
Those proposals are best viewed in the House members toilet rooms, since thats all they are fit for...
Crushing debt task force...LOL...I’ll pay attention if there is ever one of those....
There was one. Look what it got us. Crushing debt.
Don't like "assault weapons" or "high capacity clips" or guns with a "thing that goes up" then propose an amendment and let the people vote. Otherwise you are violating your oath to support and defend the Constitution and we the people are obligated to remove you from office and prosecute you.
Typical Democrat misleading worthless kabuki theater from the Democrats. THEY ARE NOT IN CHARGE, and these panels are just theatre. The article never mentions that these aren’t official HOUSE sanctioned panels; they even go so far as to try to connect a Republican chair of a ‘real’ committee to give their BS little show some credence.
All Kabuki Theatre....
There should be a crushing debt task force.
No kidding...more distractions to take our eyes off REAL problems they're NOT addressing, while they strip away more of our rights.
I’d head to DC for that!
Mikael Gross and Tracy Bridges
Probably because choosing these people wouldn't guarantee the results they were looking for.
It’s failed before it begins.
Laws cannot and will never prevent a crime. Laws are there to define the crime and outline the punishment for committing the crime.
There is only one way to prevent a crime. That is to stop it when it is happening. Force on force is the only way to stop these mass murders.
I hear a lot of people saying that it’s the Government doing these. I don’t believe that but that would be one reason why the Dems don’t want force on force capability for the would be victims. It would blow open that kind of operation in no time flat.
Oh thats a diverse panel all right. LMAO
Please don’t give them any ideas. Because 0bama will do it & call it creating jobs.
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