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Bill Offered to Give FBI Access to Gun Records
Reuters ^

Posted on 12/08/2001 9:49:30 PM PST by Sir Gawain

Bill Offered to Give FBI Access to Gun Records
December 7, 2001 6:56 pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A day after U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft told Congress existing law does not allow the FBI to compare the names of suspected terrorists with federal gun purchase records, two senators introduced a bill on Friday to allow such action.

"It makes no sense to deny these records to the FBI in its ongoing investigation of the atrocities of September 11th," Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts said in a statement.

Kennedy joined Sen. Charles Schumer of New York in offering the measure. Both are members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, before which Ashcroft testified on Thursday.

The attorney general, in defending his decision to block the FBI from using gun documents in its probe of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, said the law does not allow investigators to review the federal records created when a buyer applies to buy a firearm.

His stand drew angry words from a number of Democrats, who noted the former U.S. Republican senator from Missouri has been a longtime defender of gun rights.

Asked at Thursday's hearing if he wanted the FBI to have the power to review gun records in its terror investigation, Ashcroft said he would not comment on "a hypothetical," but would be "happy to consider" any such legislation that would enable it to do so.

Kennedy said on Friday the bill he and Schumer offered would do that, and called on the administration to back it.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department said it would review the regulations on accessing gun-purchase records.

A Justice Department official told reporters on Friday he would check with the FBI and other agencies to see if they thought there was an "operational need" to warrant a change in the law.

"We are continuing this top to bottom review, so we will take a look at it now that the question has been raised," the official said.



TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist
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To: youaculpa
"The Al Quaeda terrorist handbook explicitly tells the terrorist sleeper *NOT* to use firearms. What what good would it be to search gun records? These clowns in D.C. know this but they just can't forget their old agendas..."

Excellent point! The terrorist's sleepers are supposed to blend in till it's time to do their EVIL - and the last thing they'd do is buy guns!

This is one of those "feel good" solutions, because of course despite what we saw on 9/11 GUNS are the root of all EVIL for these people! (it's so easy to fall back into old routines)

61 posted on 12/09/2001 5:33:40 AM PST by SunnyUsa
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To: Libertarianize the GOP
It is for damn sure that we'd better be prepared (as in "ready, willing and able!") to do more than "hope!"

It may take concerted citizen (FReeper) action to hold this bill back.

Standby!

“I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”
[Thomas Jefferson, letter to Benjamin Rush, 1800.]

62 posted on 12/09/2001 5:37:53 AM PST by Taxman
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To: umgud
Can non-citizens buy guns? If not, why would their names show up on the list?

Only citizens and resident aliens with green cards can purchase firearms. I really don't care if they look at the list, the government knows I have guns, anyway, and I am not an Arab or a terrorist. Food for thought: maybe some of those Arabs who married American women just to get citizenship also have aresenals they are willing to use.

63 posted on 12/09/2001 5:44:41 AM PST by MadEagle
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Comment #64 Removed by Moderator

To: sirgawain
Are these the same records they told us they were keeping for only a limited time period, like 60 days or something?
65 posted on 12/09/2001 5:46:56 AM PST by caseyblane
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To: sirgawain
Teddy, Chuck, Can you spell class action lawsuit?
66 posted on 12/09/2001 5:48:02 AM PST by Helix
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To: arielb
I'm in favor of gun rights-but not for terrorists

....
But who defines a terrorist, if its a violent criminal then I could agree, but some of the antigun-nuts might describe it as someone displaying a gun to defend their home.

67 posted on 12/09/2001 5:55:55 AM PST by StoptheDonkey
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To: GotDangGenius
"blaming guns for crime is like blaming spoons for Rosie O'Donnel being fat."

....
Good One - Genius

68 posted on 12/09/2001 6:05:10 AM PST by StoptheDonkey
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To: sirgawain
Lookie here, How interesting of Herr Hiltler.

(Helixs hubby) http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment081000a.shtml

69 posted on 12/09/2001 6:15:47 AM PST by Helix
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To: sirgawain
these bastards
70 posted on 12/09/2001 6:16:40 AM PST by rwfromkansas
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To: THEUPMAN
Ashcroft VETOED Concealed Carry in Missouri as governor of that state. Does that sound PRO-GUN to You?

....
yes , if he vetoed it because he understands that a permit should not be issued for an inalienable right.

got any insights as to his motives?

....
Yeah, if true, the motive is he was against the second-amendment rights of a law-abiding citizen to carry a gun in self-defense. Does he still carry these same feelings ?
Strange that they all believe in the military draft where they would take an 18 yr. old and give him a gun to shoot their enemies, but that same 18 year old- when he gets to be 21 would be forbidden,by some, a permit-to-carry in self defense of his family.

71 posted on 12/09/2001 6:29:08 AM PST by StoptheDonkey
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To: JeanS
The Liberal media has been failing recently, polls show the Liberal media rank below used car salemen or lawyers on reliability.
72 posted on 12/09/2001 6:32:43 AM PST by Texbob
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To: mdittmar
"We can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans ..."

The use of the word ordinary indicates what Mr. Clinton and his ilk think of you. You are not equal to them.

The Men and Women Who Ride to Work In the Back Seat don't want you ordinary folks to have the same rights as they. If you are not a member of The New American Aristocracy, then, you are an "ordinary American" and therefore not entitled to the same rights and freedom they have. This belief is held by both Republican and Democratic officials. Yet it seems to be more pervasive in the Democratic party.

73 posted on 12/09/2001 6:33:46 AM PST by Otis Mukinfus
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To: Texbob
Yeah. Hemmer"Reuters" is the same bunch of quacks that call terrorists "freedom fighters".
74 posted on 12/09/2001 6:35:47 AM PST by Helix
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To: sirgawain
Great the 2 butt boys of gun control. Wish they would just go for along drive off of a bridge. This time Teddy's too old and fat to get out.
75 posted on 12/09/2001 6:35:53 AM PST by mad_as_he$$
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To: mad_as_he$$
naw "FAT" floats.
76 posted on 12/09/2001 6:38:20 AM PST by Helix
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To: sirgawain
Kennedy joined Sen. Charles Schumer of New York in offering the measure. Both are members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, before which Ashcroft testified on Thursday.

Schumer and Kennedy = Rights for the terrorist and none for gun owners. Fat punks.

77 posted on 12/09/2001 6:39:42 AM PST by VA Advogado
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To: GotDangGenius
How many teachers, firemen, policemen, and other union employees own firearms?

Good, point....and don't forget little women. Your 'right to live' comes from no man or law. Therefore, it cannot be taken away by man or law.

Expressed in their order of importance:

WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness --

78 posted on 12/09/2001 7:12:03 AM PST by budwiesest
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To: sirgawain
This bill will inevitably become law. The Republicans should simply make sure it is limited to terrorist investigations, and let it pass. They can't stop it, they shouldn't try. It's no big deal.
79 posted on 12/09/2001 7:24:09 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: budwiesest; All; *bang_list
Here's a letter we just sent to our senator. Feel free to copy, change and pass along, if you wish.

Dear Senator Edwards,

I am writing you regarding a recent proposal by Senators Kennedy and Schummer to match terrorists’ names to gun purchase records.

When the background checks were started no records of individuals were supposed to be kept. So how is it that the Federal and state governments can tell you how many and what kind an individual has purchased?

According to Dave Kopel, Dr. Paul Gallant & Dr. Joanne Eisen of the Independence Institute, "When the NICS law was enacted in November 1993, Section 103 (i)(2) made it clear that the names of firearm purchasers were not to be retained in the system: 'No department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States may...use the system established under this section to establish any system for the registration of firearms (or) firearm owners...' The same prohibition against federal gun registration also appears in the 1986 Firearms Owners Protection Act." National Review Guest comment 8/20/00.

URL: http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment081000a.shtml

If the law had been implemented as promised to the American public, then there would be no records to check. This leads me to conclude that not only are some members of congress intent on destroying the second and fourth amendments, but they also have no compunction about lying.

I believe that the maintenance of these records is fraudulent and unconstitutional. I would like you to investigate what records have been kept and under what law and authority they have been maintained. Also, please oppose the Kennedy-Schummer legislation as none of the terrorists have used guns in the commission of their horrible acts of war. I believe it is more important to enact immigration reform to exclude potential terrorists from all nationalities than it is to punish both law-abiding loyal American citizens and legal immigrants who respect our nation enough to obey the law.

80 posted on 12/09/2001 7:27:35 AM PST by Helix
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