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.
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The bill number is S. 1805.
On the Net:
Bill text: http://thomas.loc.gov
The way to get back at 'em is to just go out and buy a whole bunch of hand guns - even if you don't need them.
If they do that, the best hope is to get the House to kill the final version of the bill.
Why is this law (which is really a "Cosmetic Gun Features" ban)treated differently and given such credibility?
By calling it an Assault Weapons Ban, they set the terms of the debate---who could be in favor of ordinary people owning fearsome Assault Weapons (which most people think must be machine guns)?
L
He says this is a message to Republican Senators that the President doesn't want the AWB on his desk.
I have no idea how this is going to play out. I could easily see putting in the AWB renewal amendment so as to get sufficient Dem support to block any filibuster, and then stripping it out again in the inevitable conference committee. So I'm not going to scream and shout, yet.
But if Bush signs the AWB renewal, in any form, he's going to lose.
If it is attached to the products liability bill, I would think a pretty good one.
Personally, although I would hate to do it, if push came to shove, I think the positive benefit of the products liability law is worth extending the so-called assault weapons ban (as long as the ban is not *expanded*). Without a products liability exception, some states will be able to put gun manufacturers out of business---or jack up the prices of guns as has happened with the cigarette industry.
I have just returned home from a big Republican Team Leader Training session that was hosted by the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County but run by the RNC. I was able to put a letter featuring a cut and paste set of quotes from the BANG LIST here on FR into the hands of the RNC chairman's right hand guy for "grassroots activism." I spent several minutes talking to him about the results of the 2000 election and he had to agree that GUN OWNER activism was a major driving force of the election victory and could be a real hinderance to re-election if they perceive they've been "backstabbed."
Gunowners have long memories and they do not forgive easily. Gunowners also make up a sizeable portion of BOTH parties. So a lot of Dems voted their guns last time and might do so again....or maybe not depending on the messages that are sent to them by the Republicans.
I also signed up to work on the campaign of the Republican candidate for Miami-Dade State Attorney. A female, jewish former judge with 11 years experience on the bench, who has actually drawn a firearm to save her life as a private citizen. She is also a black belt in Tae Kwon Do karate and volunteered to serve in the Israeli Army during the first Gulf War while she was over there. This is one dynamic lady that deserves our support.
Her name is LESLIE ROTHENBERG
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