Citing Terror Fears, Sens. Schumer, Lautenberg Oppose Loosened Rocket Hobby Rules

Associated Press ^ | Jul 29, 2003 | Devlin Barrett

[New Horizon]

WASHINGTON (AP) - A bill to loosen federal restrictions for model rocket enthusiasts drew fire Tuesday from senators from New York and New Jersey, who said the proposal would give terrorists access to dangerous explosives. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized the measure by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., to change the Homeland Security Act to allow rocket enthusiasts to buy black powder and another form of high-powered rocket propellant without submitting to a background check. The act was passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Standing next to a seven-foot tall rocket, Schumer said the legislation effectively would allow would-be terrorists to amass large quantities of explosives.

"Sometimes you see things in Congress that make you scratch your head in wonderment," said Schumer. "This is one of those days."

He and Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., said passage of the bill would allow terrorists to stockpile the same material used in the 1996 Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta and a bomb sent by "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski in 1985.

The Justice Department also has opposed Enzi's bill, saying in a June 10 letter the current regulations exempt 90 percent of rocket hobbyists and require background checks only for those who use the largest rockets.

The Homeland Security Act requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to monitor the purchase and transfer of any chemical mixture or device with the primary function of causing an explosion.

"It's a sad state of affairs when we see a government agency and senators go to such lengths to squash efforts to preserve a constructive, educational and important hobby enjoyed by millions of Americans," Enzi said. "My bill is not a license to build bombs, and the senators know it."

Tim Lehr, rocket manager at Al's Hobby Shop in Elmhurst, Ill., said the restrictions are killing the rocket hobby business and are an unnecessary hassle for hobbyists.

"It's going to put dealers out of business, period," said Lehr. He predicted the hobby will die out within five years because no one new will pick it up knowing the bureaucratic hurdles of background checks, storage requirements and governmental oversight.

Two rocketry groups, the National Association of Rocketry and the Tripoli Rocketry Association, accused the senators of equating hobbyists with terrorists. In a statement, the associations called the issue "a prime example of the government overreacting to something that is not a threat."

---

On the Net:

National Association of Rocketry: http://www.nar.org

Tripoli Rocketry Association: http://www.tripoli.org

[RightWhale]

Schumer and Lautenberg don't know that it is important for the young people to learn the principles of rocketry while they are young enough that it become second nature. They have the same problem with firearms. They will probably have a similar problem with private-sector manned suborbital flights for the X-prize.

[hattend]

With all the S#it going on in the world, Chuckie Little is worried about some toy rockets. When they start launching SCUDS at the NRA/Tripoly sites, then get worried. Until then, bite me.

What next, R/C Airplanes? Only when you pry the transmitter from my cold dead hands.

This is proof that a full time legislature is not needed, they have way too much time on their hands.

[El Gato]

Bang!

[BOBTHENAILER]

A bill to loosen federal restrictions for model rocket enthusiasts drew fire Tuesday from senators from New York and New Jersey, who said the proposal would give terrorists access to dangerous explosives. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized the measure by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., to change the Homeland Security Act to allow rocket enthusiasts to buy black powder and another form of high-powered rocket propellant without submitting to a background check. The act was passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

A squirt gun, filled with the right ingredient could be deadly.
A magazine or newspaper, properly rolled up and used in the right manner, can kill, as can a pencil.

I could go on, but this fits right in with the QUISLING article TM pinged me to earlier.

[Orangedog]

When I was a teenager I know a guy who was into model rockets. He used to get mice and launch them as payload. After I saw him launch a mouse the first time, we watched the rocket and after a minute I asked him:

"So when does the parachute pop open?"

His reply, dead-pan, was:

"Parachute?"

He was a strange guy.

[11B3]

Admit it Chuckie - this is what you are REALLY afraid of:

The Second Amendment comes calling for Upchuck.

[mr.pink]

He was a strange guy.

We had a couple guys of that type on our block too....I think every neighborhood has it quota filled in that area. ;o)

[Lazamataz]

His reply, dead-pan, was: "Parachute?"

LOL! I like him already.

[11B3]

Mouse? Try rabbits.

[Political Junkie Too]

Wait until they decide that terrorists could buy bullets and empty them of the gunpowder to make explosives.

-PJ

[Orangedog]

Ye Gods! Don't give that runt any ideas!

[AFreeBird]

A squirt gun, filled with the right ingredient could be deadly. A magazine or newspaper, properly rolled up and
used in the right manner, can kill, as can a pencil.

And the absolutely, most dangerous weapon on the entire planet is the educated/knowledgeble human mind coupled with a skillful human hand.

Could be another reason for the dumbing down of our school kids.

[Possenti]

I'm really confused about conservatives' support of "The War on Terror"...

Sure, Schumer is an idiot. His support of this bill is right in line with his attempts at gun control. Everyone here seems to oppose him at every turn - which is good. But he is also a Democrat.

I'd be willing to bet that some of us here who are bashing Schumer would jump right on the bandwagon had a Republican - or even the Bush administration - proposed this idiotic legislation. There would be endless debates about how "it's not a right to own a model rocket", and "we all need to 'sacrifice' in our fight against terror."

Bush's people have attempted to do much more to restrict our liberties than Schumer on this issue, and hardly a peep was heard by any freepers (not all) who supposedly support our Constitution.

All I'm saying is that we need to look beyond our partisanship and ask ourselves what we need to do to preserve our freedoms in this time of crisis. The worst laws in human history have been passed during a period of 'national emergency'. Now is the time we need to be more vigilant than ever - regardless of our party affiliation.

[dr_who_2]

Bloomberg Democrats.

[11B3]

Liberal elitists will never understand that they wouldn't have to be afraid of the public if they ONLY would do things that were GOOD for the nation instead of just good for themselves and their cronies.

As it is now, they know they've done lots of things that harm us and the nation, and they're conscience tells them to be afraid. (Instead of telling them to do the right thing.)

[Orangedog]

You obviously have not been on any of the threads where I have tried to warn people about what Hilliary will use the "Patriot" Act for when she gets back into the White House...among other things I've tried to warn people about.

[StriperSniper]

and another form of high-powered rocket propellant

Reloadable solid rocket motors use a propellant compound very similar to that used in the boosters of the space shuttle and other commercial launch vehicles. This compound is mainly composed of an ammonium perchlorate (AP) oxidizer mixed with a plastic binding agent and fuel made of hydroxyl terminated polybutadene (HTPB), resulting in a highly reliable and energetic composite solid fuel mix that is relatively safe to handle when compared with liquid propellants. Propellant compounds may be doped with various additives to alter the chemical composition and hence retard or increase the burn rate. Aluminum or magnesium may be employed in smaller motors for smoke generation, or in larger motors for use as additional fuel. Military missiles often use propellants that are doped with high explosives like RDX or PETN for extremely high performance.

[Travis McGee]

Visualize President Hellary and AG Schumer.....

[Dutch Boy]

Talk about a paranoid guy. I wonder how Schumer sleeps at night with all those people trying to get him.

[11B3]

IF the Ankle gets elected president, between the election and inauguration it's time to buy ALL the weapons and ammo that one can afford - 'cause then it's "Showtime".