Monday, March 2, 2009
By a resounding vote of 62 to 36 last week, the U.S. Senate has approved an amendment, offered by Senator John Ensign of Nevada, to repeal the D.C. gun ban.
Congratulations!
But the battle is not over.
This week, the House will take up the D.C. voting legislation. And anti-gun Speaker Nancy Pelosi is angling to impose a "gag rule" on the House, so that D.C. gets its unconstitutional representative, while continuing its draconian anti-gun laws (like microstamping).
So here's the deal: The House will be asked to consider a "rule" which establishes the time for debate and provides for which amendments may be considered -- and which may not.
It is expected that the Pelosi rule will seek to deny the House any vote on the D.C. gun ban and thereby strip the repeal of the ban from the House bill.
So what we are asking you to do is to write and/or call your congressman and demand that he oppose any rule that strips the D.C. gun ban repeal from the D.C. voting bill.
Just to remind you of how draconian the D.C. gun law is:
* Following the Supreme Court's decision in Heller declaring the law to be unconstitutional, D.C. made a few cosmetic changes which will, as a practical matter, allow it to continue to deny its citizens the right to keep and bear arms.
* Then, the City Council passed a whole series of new anti-gun measures. These include a requirement that most guns used for self-defense "microstamp" fired casings in two places with a "unique serial number."
Aside from being ineffectual with respect to stolen guns or crimes where the brass has not been left behind, this microstamping provision is intended to make guns so expensive that they won't be available anywhere -- including your state.
ACTION: Write your Representative and urge him or her in the strongest terms to oppose any rule which will strip the gun ban repeal from the D.C. voting bill.
You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center to send your Representative the pre-written e-mail message below.
You can also call him or her toll-free at 1-877-762-8762.
----- Prewritten Letter -----
Dear Representative:
This week, when the House takes up the D.C. voting legislation, please vote against any rule that strips the Senate's pro-gun language and/or imposes a "gag rule" on members of the House.
Just to remind you of how virulently anti-gun the D.C. gun law is: Following the Supreme Court's decision in Heller declaring the law to be unconstitutional, D.C. made a few cosmetic changes which will, as a practical matter, allow it to continue to deny its citizens the right to keep and bear arms.
But, in addition, the City Council passed a whole series of new anti-gun measures. These include a requirement that most guns used for self-defense "microstamp" fired casings in two places with a "unique serial number."
Aside from being ineffectual with respect to stolen guns or crimes where the brass has not been left behind, this microstamping provision is intended to make guns so expensive that they won't be available anywhere -- including my state.
I urge you, in the strongest terms, to oppose any rule that makes it impossible for you to vote on the D.C. gun ban repeal.
Sincerely,
I believe this was an amendment to the bill that granted congressional representation to D.C. (which is unconstitutional)
This is not a good thing.
What?
These egoists believe their vote overrides the Constitution AND the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the matter? And then as insurance they are planning to ignore that the Constitution specifically created W.D.C. in such a manner as to preclude it from having the power of a State?
Small victory, but victory all the same.
This is a Trojan horse...DC has UnConstitutionally been granted a voting seat in the House of Representitives, and the payoff for Conservatives is a sop of an law concerning firearms rights in DC.
No thanks, this is no “victory’ it is the destruction of the Constitution, we should know better then to cheerlead for this.
A serious “conservative political comeback” really can’t happen quick enough! I seriously wish that there is a way to fast forward past all of this “leftist mess” that is still heading this country’s way.
I feel like this is a small “gimme,” played up for show, just to soften the blow when they push for the 2nd Amend killing bill coming down the road. All the other victories won’t matter when they ban and tax the sale and possession of so many guns and types of ammo that the firearms industry collapses. You can bet your coonskin cap they won’t be bailing that out.
So - was the idea to pass the gun ban repeal or was it to kill the bill as a whole? What would happen if the measure was introduced as a separate bill in the Senate? Would it pass? Would it get the same vote?