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Assault Weapons Ban Picks Up GOP Support
Yahoo! News ^
| Tue, Feb 24, 2004
| AP
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.
___
The bill number is S. 1805.
On the Net:
Bill text: http://thomas.loc.gov
TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: awb; awban; bang; banglist; gop
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To: 07055
"or jack up the prices of guns as has happened with the cigarette industry."
Problem is that the liability bill does not protect against this. They can just tack on taxes ala cigs/gas/alcohol to drive the prices up.
141
posted on
02/25/2004 7:06:54 AM PST
by
looscnnn
(Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
To: Liberty Valance
BTW, it was really MMM (Marion Michael Morrison) who shot you.
142
posted on
02/25/2004 7:09:42 AM PST
by
yarddog
To: Mulder
I think your view of what will happen to the bills is probably the most likely senario.
143
posted on
02/25/2004 7:11:50 AM PST
by
looscnnn
(Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
To: yarddog
lol - God Bless John Wayne!
144
posted on
02/25/2004 7:15:51 AM PST
by
Liberty Valance
(In Honor and memory of Pfc Cody Orr, Kerrville Texas)
To: yonif
145
posted on
02/25/2004 7:22:12 AM PST
by
xsrdx
(Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas)
To: longtermmemmory; .30Carbine
let the sentors know how you stand on this issue. Call them and or emailLet 'em do their own recon.
146
posted on
02/25/2004 7:30:52 AM PST
by
TigersEye
(Regime change in the courts. Impeach activist judges!)
To: Liberty Valance
My Grandmother was a Morrison.
I once visited the Clan Morrison booth at the Grandfather Mountain highland games and learned that John Wayne was a member of the Clan. I have since seen that his real name was Morrison several times.
147
posted on
02/25/2004 7:38:43 AM PST
by
yarddog
To: Blood of Tyrants
Confucious say: "To extend is to not extend. To not extend is to extend."
148
posted on
02/25/2004 7:41:20 AM PST
by
looscnnn
(Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
To: Boiling point
"All we have to do is get a good pro Rtkba congressman to add an amendment like a complete ban on abortion and maybe that would do the trick"
I would put a rider on that would do the exact same thing, but with automobiles. Watch what would happen then. Say that because of drunk drivers and criminal use of autos, the rider is necessary. When they say I can't do that, I will say that owning vehicles and driving are not rights so I can do it.
149
posted on
02/25/2004 7:49:42 AM PST
by
looscnnn
(Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
To: JohnnyZ
"The AWB is dead, folks."
You really think so? I have news for you, the Dems will not let it. They will put it as a rider on the gun industry bill.
"The only question is, will the gun manufacturers liability bill be passed?"
That is also a question that we can't truely answer, too many variables.
150
posted on
02/25/2004 7:52:48 AM PST
by
looscnnn
(Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
To: IGOTMINE
"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." Senator John Warner (R-ino) VA
This explains the answer I got today when I called his office. "The senator hasn't taken a position yet." My ass.
I am tired of being incrementally criminalized. If I'm to become a felon, I'll go as a lion and not a lamb.
In fact, the UCR states that the weapons banned by this heinous legislation account for a low, "statistically insignificant" number of total criminal uses.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
151
posted on
02/25/2004 8:02:02 AM PST
by
petro45acp
("The terrorists don't "win" by keeping you from normal daily life, but by killing the infidel")
To: ezoeni; SevenDaysInMay
"got your back...and I dont even know were you live...just a voice in the wind"
Same here.
152
posted on
02/25/2004 8:07:47 AM PST
by
looscnnn
(Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
To: MJY1288
This doesn't have a chance in the HouseNeither did CFR... hmmmmm.
To: ActionNewsBill
-.-- --- ..- / --. --- - / - .... .- - / .-. .. --. .... - --..-- / -... .-. --- .-.-.-
Oooo, are we playing hangman? Umm, is there an A?
154
posted on
02/25/2004 8:20:35 AM PST
by
looscnnn
(Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
To: looscnnn
I have already called both of my senators today and explained that I do not want to see the AWB renewed. I will be writing a letter to my rep today also.
155
posted on
02/25/2004 8:23:31 AM PST
by
TXBSAFH
(KILL-9 needs no justification.)
To: yonif
Maybe they figure more votes will be won then lost? Maybe they figure no votes will be lost and some will be gained? Republicans always line up to vote for the "lesser of evils" in my experience, and some antigun moderates will be persuaded to the Republican side of things by the AWB passage.
156
posted on
02/25/2004 8:28:16 AM PST
by
templar
To: looscnnn
Can we trust the committee to do that?No.
Never trust a conference comittee with anything important. Too little accountability.
157
posted on
02/25/2004 8:39:08 AM PST
by
templar
To: templar
"No.
Never trust a conference comittee with anything important. Too little accountability."
I thought so, but looks like others do.
158
posted on
02/25/2004 8:59:58 AM PST
by
looscnnn
(Tell me something, it's still "We the people", right? -- Megadeth (Peace Sells))
To: yonif
Renewal of the AWB results in a Kerry presidency. I will not vote in November if this thing gets passed. Bush and the pubbies will lose way more votes then they can possibly gain. Do they not realize that they could very well lose their base with this move?
To: Travis McGee
RINOS?
Not to put to fine a point on it, but the leader of the republican party also supports the extension of the AWB.
It (extending AWB) might as well be a plank in the republican party platform.
Regards,
160
posted on
02/25/2004 9:04:33 AM PST
by
Triple
(All forms of socialism deny individuals the right to the fruits of their labor)
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