Delay Sees Assault Gun Ban Expiring in Congress

Reuters ^ | May 13, 2003 | Joanne Kenen

[TLBSHOW]

Delay Sees Assault Gun Ban Expiring in Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Majority Leader Tom Delay, a proudly pro-gun Texas Republican, predicted on Tuesday the House will allow a 1994 assault weapons ban to expire next year.

"The votes in the House are not there to reauthorize (renew) it," DeLay told reporters.

DeLay's opposition to the ban puts him at odds with President Bush, who wants it to be extended although he generally opposes the expansion of gun laws.

The ban, approved during the Clinton administration, applies to military-style semi-automatic assault weapons like the Uzi and the AK-47 that have high ammunition capacity and are capable of rapid fire at close range.

A group of mostly Democratic senators last week opened a drive to get the extension passed in the U.S. Senate, and called on Bush to help, particularly in the House where pro-gun sentiments are stronger and DeLay wields considerable control over the agenda.

After the 1999 Columbine high school shootings in Colorado, the Senate passed several tough new gun measures. DeLay was instrumental in blocking them in the House.

Senate Democrats want to renew the current ban with only one change -- a ban on importing large-capacity ammunition clips. Their manufacture is already prohibited in the United States. Some House Democrats have outlined more far-reaching legislation that would expand the ban to other guns.

"The House Republicans are so out of touch that they are to the right of even President Bush on guns. Most Americans want fewer assault weapons on the streets, but the House Republicans want to bring banned assault weapons back," said New Jersey Democrat Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

Bush's support for the ban puts him at odds with the National Rifle Association, the powerful gun lobby that is usually his ally.

Another top NRA priority, a bill giving gun makers and sellers sweeping protection against lawsuits, recently passed the House and is pending in the Senate.

Several Senate Democrats Tuesday said they were determined to do everything they could to block the lawsuit bill, or at least amend it to narrow its scope

[wcbtinman]

"Senate Democrats want to renew the current ban with only one change..."

LIARS!

[RS]

Can we send our guys to a Holiday Inn in OK ?

[TLBSHOW]

isn't there a whole group of changes that the rats want?

[Poohbah]

Can we send our guys to a Holiday Inn in OK ?

Why should we?

[discostu]

It is only one change: they want to make it ban all guns not just assault weapons.

[Petronski]

DeLay's opposition to the ban puts him at odds with President Bush, who wants it to be extended although he generally opposes the expansion of gun laws.

Good cop / bad cop?

[Petronski]

A cow don't make ham

Ever had pastrami?

[green team 1999]

assault gun ban is (dead on arrival)

[discostu]

Pastrami ain't ham, it's kosher.

mmmm kosher pastrami

[45Auto]

One possible scenario really has me perturbed: The bastards allow the law to sunset in September 2004; they then come back right after the November 2004 election and simply pass another ban. I'll bet that this is the way it will play out; that way, George W. Bush gets re-elected, the Repubos can cave, and no one will have to pay the price for once again screwing the citizenry out of the RKBA. And we can expect no help from the courts..

[BonnieJ]

Please excuse my ignorance, but what EXACTLY is an assault weapon??

[Normal4me]

Filibuster works both ways right?? No judges, no signature!

[Petronski]

Pastrami ain't ham, it's kosher.

It's made from kosher hogs.

[samuel_adams_us]

Let the democrats delay the lawsuit bill, we'll just vote them out with the rest of the trash come next january.

[discostu]

Actually it doesn't work both way, if the President ignores legislation for 10 days (not counting Sundays) it passes by default (and somewhere the FReeper that pointed me to Article 1 Sections 7 is smiling). But it's OK this thing is dead probably in committee.

[discostu]

Hogs can't be kosher. Unless they're really big, don't eat poo, and have non-cloven hooves. Udders help too ;-)

[Not Insane]

Kosher Hogs? Is that like a Kosher Palestinian?

[sinkspur]

The bastards allow the law to sunset in September 2004; they then come back right after the November 2004 election and simply pass another ban

Why would they do that?

There's absolutely no chance of that happening.

[TLBSHOW]

I wouldn't put anything past any of them any more. You may be correct.

I see is the rats pressing Bush on this issue hard. That is what I see is going to happen.