gun control

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Senate Judiciary Committee: “What Should America Do About Gun Violence?”

January 27, 2013 by 3 Comments

Sen. Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has set January 30th as the date for a hearing on “gun violence” according to a posting on the committee’s website.

NOTICE OF COMMITTEE HEARING

The Senate Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a hearing entitled “What Should America Do About Gun Violence?” for Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., in Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building.

By order of the Chairman.

Witness List

Hearing before the
Senate Committee on the Judiciary

On

“What Should America Do About Gun Violence?”

Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Hart Senate Office Building, Room 216
10:00 a.m.

Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.)
Americans for Responsible Solutions
Tucson, AZ

Nicholas Johnson
Professor of Law
Fordham University School of Law
New York, NY

James Johnson
Chief of Police
Baltimore County Police Department
Chair, National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence
Towson, MD

Gayle Trotter
Attorney and Senior Fellow
Independent Women’s Forum
Washington, DC

Wayne LaPierre
Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer
National Rifle Association
Fairfax, VA

I learned of the hearing thanks to a post by Stranger at Extrano’s Alley. He thinks that with the exception of Wayne LaPierre all the participants are anti-gun.

The first four witnesses are anti’s. Mark Kelley is Gabrielle Giffords husband, and the titular head of an anti-gun group. Given that every restrictive gun law in history has driven violent crime rates sky high, it would be more accurate to say Kelley is head of a pro-crime group.


Chief Johnson is an anti-gun activists as is Trotter. The same comments apply to Johnson and Trotter that apply to Kelly.

I must respectfully disagree on part of his comments. Mark Kelly and Chief James Johnson are most definitely anti-gun activists. However, from what I know of Professor Johnson he is most definitely not an anti-gun activist. Professor Johnson is a co-author with Dave Kopel of the first law school casebook devoted to the Second Amendment – Firearms Law & the Second Amendment: Regulation, Rights, and Policy. Likewise, Gayle Trotter recently penned an article saying that gun control disarms women.

While this hearing seems to be an effort to push the Obama Administration’s gun control agenda, three of the five witnesses are on our side. This might not turn out as bad as some think it will.

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Another Example Of A Letter To Send

January 26, 2013 by 2 Comments

One of the administrators at The AK Forum, KrinkFreak,  has been posting a series of letters to send to Congress. The letter below is the sixth in the series. I look it as a comprehensive, everything and the kitchen sink, sort of letter. This is the sort of letter you might send if you want to hit all the bills. However, you could cut it apart and make it multiple letters by only referring to a couple of letters at a time.

Dear Elected Official,

I am writing to express my concerns with
the recent onslaught of Gun Control legislation introduced in the House
and Senate chambers. The legislation introduced by some lawmakers
seriously infringes on my rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment
of the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, I would like to address:

H.R.
21, NRA Members’ Gun Safety Act of 2013, Sponsor: Rep. James Moran,
D-VA. This would require background checks for every gun purchase,
require background checks on gun shop employees, bar those on the
terrorist watch list from buying firearms, require gun owners to report
to police when their guns are lost or stolen, and establish minimum
standards for concealed carry permits.
* This is nothing more than a
legislation “blitz” effort by the anti-gun legislators to sway public
opinion against law-abiding gunowners and to infringe upon the Second
Amendment. These requirements are already addressed in existing laws.
Enforce the existing laws, don’t waste time creating new ones.

H.R.
65, Child Gun Safety and Gun Access Prevention Act of 2013, Sponsor:
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. This would raise the age of Handgun
Eligibility to 21 and prohibit youth from possessing semi-automatic
weapons.
* Handgun Eligibility is already 21 years of age. Also,
youths already cannot legally own/purchase semi-automatic weapons, etc.
when under the age of 18. Enforce the existing laws, don’t waste time
creating new ones.
H.R. 133, Citizens Protection Act, Sponsor:
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. This would repeal the Gun-Free School Zones
Act of 1990, which makes illegal the possession of a gun on school
grounds or within 1,000 feet of a school.
* This legislation is one
of the few coming out Congress that makes sense. Repealing this law
would allow school teachers and administrators the ability to legally
carry firearms to protect students from criminal and mentally ill
persons that want to harm our children.

H.R. 321, Firearm Safety
and Public Health Research Act of 2013, Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn Maloney,
D-N.Y. This would amend the continuing resolution to add money for
research into gun violence.
* Will this taxpayer money be used to
research why video games depicting gun violence, blood, gore, etc. are
specifically targeted towards are children? Will this taxpayer money be
used to research why Hollywood glorifies gun violence, blood, gore,
etc. in the movies specifically targeted towards the American people?

H.R.
141, The Gun Show Loophole Closing Act, Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn McCarthy,
D-N.Y. This would require criminal background checks on all firearm
transactions at gun shows.
* Is the Federal Government going to
fund/provide free FBI NICS Background Checks for law-abiding citizens to
utilize when legally selling their firearm to another individual? Or
is this another example of the Federal Government forcing the America
people to purchase something as in the case of the Affordable Care Act?

H.R. 137, Fix Gun Checks Act of 2013, Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn
McCarthy, D-N.Y. This would require background checks for every gun
sale, make sure that those barred from buying firearms are listed in the
National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
* FBI NICS checks
are already required for the legal purchase of firearms at gun stores
that have Federal Firearms Licenses. Are you going to finally address
the issue of requiring the Mental Health Care agencies and law
enforcement agencies to identify persons with mental disorders, as well
as persons that are the subject of Protection Orders and convictions of
Domestic Violence to be identified in the NICS database? If so, I
applaud the effort.

S. 22, A Bill to Establish Background Checks
Procedures for Gun Shows, Sponsor: Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. This
would ensure that those who buy guns at gun shows undergo background
checks.
* Is the Federal Government going to fund/provide free FBI
NICS Background Checks for law-abiding citizens to utilize when legally
selling their firearm to another individual? Or is this another example
of the Federal Government forcing the America people to purchase
something as in the case of the Affordable Care Act?

S.150,
Assault Weapons Ban of 2013, Sponsor: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-CA. This bill
would stop the sale, manufacture and importation of 158 specifically
named military-style firearms and ammunition magazines that hold more
than 10 rounds. It would also ban an additional group of assault weapons
that accept detachable ammunition magazines and have at least one
military characteristic.
* This is nothing more than an assault on
law-abiding American citizen’s right to own guns under the Second
Amendment. Senator Feinstein’s measure would exempt weapons used by
government officials, law enforcement and retired law enforcement
personnel. Is this a precursor to effectively disarming the American
people and paving the way for wholesale government tyranny?

In
summary, as a law-abiding American citizen I am deeply concerned and
fearful of what our elected officials are trying to legislate in
Congress. I recommend that all elected officials read and refresh their
memory on the content of the U.S. Constitution, specifically the Bill
of Rights. I encourage you to focus your legislative efforts on
addressing the problems plaguing the mental health system, not the
Second Amendment.

As my elected official, as a law-abiding
citizen, I expect your support in protecting my Second Amendment rights.
If you cannot support me, I cannot support you in future elections.

Respectfully,

YOUR NAME

Here are a couple of the links where you can find the names and addresses of your state’s US Senators. First, by state, from the US Senate’s webpage.
Click on the senator’s name to be linked to their home page. From there
you can find their fax numbers. Second, the NRA-ILA has a “write your
reps” address locator. It can be found here. Either way, write them, call them, AND fax them.

As I said, I will be posting more letters. I have a handful that have been sent to me by readers and I need to get those up. If you have a letter that you like, please send it to me at jpr9954 AT gmail DOT com.

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S.150- Assault Weapons Ban of 2013

January 25, 2013 by 6 Comments

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced S.150 – the Assault Weapons (sic) Ban of 2013 – to much hoopla yesterday. She may have even pulled a David Gregory when she used 10 firearms prohibited by the District of Columbia in her presentation. While the bill as it stands may not even get enough Democrat votes to pass the Senate, I have the feeling that it will be used as a negotiating tool.

S.150 has 17 original co-sponsors and has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sen Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] – 1/24/2013
Sen Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] – 1/24/2013
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] – 1/24/2013
Sen Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE] – 1/24/2013
Sen Durbin, Richard [D-IL] – 1/24/2013
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] – 1/24/2013
Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] – 1/24/2013
Sen Levin, Carl [D-MI] – 1/24/2013
Sen Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] – 1/24/2013
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD] – 1/24/2013
Sen Murphy, Christopher S. [D-CT] – 1/24/2013
Sen Reed, Jack [D-RI] – 1/24/2013
Sen Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV] – 1/24/2013
Sen Schatz, Brian [D-HI] – 1/24/2013
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] – 1/24/2013
Sen Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] – 1/24/2013
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] – 1/24/2013

While there are no Republican co-sponsors to this bill, the Washington Post reported today that Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) is working with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) on other gun control measures.

The full text of S.150 is not yet up on the Library of Congress’ Thomas server. However, a full text copy have been loaded on Scribd and can be found here. Appendix A lists a large number of single-shot, double-barreled, pump, bolt-action, and some semi-automatic rifles and shotguns that would be expressly exempted from the provision of S.150.

To be frank, Appendix A reads as if some staffer sat down with old copies of Gun Digest and started copying names. For example, it exempts the Ithaca Model 87 pump shotgun but makes no mention of the Model 37. The Model 37 was renamed the Model 87 for a brief period of time and then reverted back to the original name of Model 37.

A summary of the provisions of S.150 can be found here. While grandfathered firearms were not put under the National Firearms Act as previously speculated, it still contains onerous provisions. It contains a safe storage requirement for grandfathered firearms and forbids the sale or transfer of grandfathered magazines. Grandfathered firearms would be allowed to be sold but must go through a FFL and a NICS check.

If you haven’t written to your congressman or senator, start now. Even if you live in California or one of the states of her fellow-traveler co-sponsors, write anyway. Don’t let anyone say they didn’t get letters, emails, and faxes in opposition.

As Leon Trotsky, one of the fathers of the Communist Revolution, said to his Menshevik opponents, and it could just as readily be applied to Feinstein, her bill, and its backers, “You are pitiful, isolated individuals! You are bankrupts. Your role is
played out. Go where you belong from now on—into the dustbin of
history!”

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Sample Letter Opposing Senate Gun Control Bills

January 24, 2013 by 12 Comments

One of the problems in keeping up the pressure weekly on Senators and Representatives is coming up with new ways to say “no more gun control”. Below is a letter that I sent today to both of my senators. I took the approach that magazine restrictions and bans on AR-15s are anti-woman and anti-family which it is. How many Senators want to be seen as being anti-woman and anti-family?

Both the Complementary Spouse and I have North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permits. I used that in the intro to illustrate that we were the “good guys”. If you have a CCW, say so. If not, leave that part out.

I sent my letters by fax to both their Washington office and one of their in-state offices. I used fax rather than the mail or email for a couple of reasons. First, due to the anthrax scare after 9-11, it takes regular mail a week at least to be delivered to an office. Second, a fax is instantaneous. Finally, I think a signed fax, since it takes a little more effort, gets more attention than an email.

The letter below can be cut and pasted into your own word processing program. I have put parantheses around the areas which can be filled in or left out. If you are a woman, I’d make sure to say so.

Senator (fill in blank)
US Senate
By fax

Dear Senator (fill in blank),

I am a responsible gun owner. (I have a North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit which means that I’ve received training, been fingerprinted, and have had a complete background check. I’m one of the good folks out there.

This week Sen. Frank Lautenberg has introduced his bill to ban magazines with greater than 10 round capacity and Sen. Dianne Feinstein has or will introduce her bill to effectively outlaw semi-automatic firearms with ugly features.>

I vehemently oppose both of these bills.

Home invasions with multiple invaders have been rising nationwide. Placing a limitation on magazine size puts my family at risk. While someone using a firearm for offensive purposes has plenty of time to change magazines, that is not true of self-defense situations especially in the case of multiple invaders.

The AR-15 is an ideal firearm for home defense. (As a woman,) I find it is lightweight, easy to operate, and has low recoil. The .223/5.56×45 round that most use has been shown in numerous studies to be the least likely bullet to pass through a house wall and injure someone outside of it. The round falls apart when it hits the dry wall or gypsum.

I view both of these bills as anti-family and anti-woman. Passage of either or both will put more families, more women, and more children at risk from criminals, thugs, and rapists.

I urge you to oppose both of these bills. As President Obama recently said, “If it saves the live of only one child, it is worth it.” He’s right but he just had the wrong context in mind.

Sincerely,

(Your name and address)

Here are a couple of links where you can find the names and addresses of your state’s US Senators. First, by state, from the US Senate’s webpage. Click on the senator’s name to be linked to their home page. From there you can find their fax numbers. Second, the NRA-ILA has a “write your reps” address locator. It can be found here. Either way, write them, call them, AND fax them. Moreover, do it like voting in Chicago – early and often.

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House Legislation Filed On Jan. 22nd

January 23, 2013 by

Three more bills dealing with firearms were filed in the House of Representatives yesterday. The first from Pennsylvania Republican Mike Fitzpatrick encourages state’s to provide better records for the NICS system, the second from California Democrat Adam Schiff is an attack on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, and finally, the third is from Georgia Republican Phil Gingrey which would mandate that the BATFE videotape their tests of firearms and ammunition.

HR 329 – Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
To amend the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 to encourage
States to provide records to the National Instant Background Check
System.
Referred to the House Judiciary Committee


HR 332 – Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Co-Sponsors:
Rep Cartwright, Matthew A. [D-PA] – 1/22/2013
Rep Cicilline, David N. [D-RI] – 1/22/2013
Rep Ellison, Keith [D-MN] – 1/22/2013
Rep Honda, Michael M. [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Rep McGovern, James P. [D-MA] – 1/22/2013
Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Rep Moran, James P. [D-VA] – 1/22/2013
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC] – 1/22/2013
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] – 1/22/2013
To provide victims of gun violence access to the same civil remedies as are available to those injured through other means.
Referred to the House Judiciary Committee

HR 339 – Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA)
Co-Sponsors:
Rep Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] – 1/22/2013
Rep Roe, David P. [R-TN] – 1/22/2013
Rep Stockman, Steve [R-TX] – 1/22/2013
Rep Westmoreland, Lynn A. [R-GA] – 1/22/2013
To require the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to
make video recordings of the examination and testing of firearms and
ammunition, and for other purposes. 

Referred to the House Judiciary Committee and to the House Ways and Means Committee

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HR 321 — Firearm Safety and Public Health Research Act of 2013

January 23, 2013 by 3 Comments

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) introduced HR 321 – Firearm Safety and Public Health Research Act of 2013 – last Friday. As of today, it has 32 co-sponsors. The intent of the bill is to get around the restrictions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 on the promotion of gun control by National Institutes for Health and the Center for Disease Control.

HR 321 would provide the funding for the implementation of President Barack Obama’s Presidential Memorandum issued on January 16th which directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct research into the causes of “gun violence” (sic) and ways to prevent it.

Therefore, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct the following:

Section 1. Research. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary), through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other scientific agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, shall conduct or sponsor research into the causes of gun violence and the ways to prevent it. The Secretary shall begin by identifying the most pressing research questions with the greatest potential public health impact, and by assessing existing public health interventions being implemented across the Nation to prevent gun violence.

Sec. 2. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

The text of HR 321 is rather simple as might be expected of a bill that amends one section of an appropriations bill.

To amend the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (Public Law 112-175) to permit research on firearms safety and gun violence.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

The Act may be cited as the `Firearm Safety and Public Health Research Act of 2013′.

SEC. 2. PERMITTING THE USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR RESEARCH ON FIREARMS SAFETY AND GUN VIOLENCE.

The Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (Public Law 112-175) is amended by inserting after section 155 the following:

`Sec. 156. Notwithstanding section 101, sections 218 and 503(c) of division F of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-74) shall not apply to amounts made available by this joint resolution insofar as such sections relate to any activity to conduct research on firearms safety or gun violence.’.

This bill’s sole intention is to subsidize with our tax dollars junk research that will be used to promote more gun control. In my opinion there is no such thing as “gun violence”. There is violence and the tool chosen is immaterial when you are looking for the causal factors. We don’t speak of “hammer violence”, “blunt object violence”, or “fist violence”, so why should speak of “gun violence” as if it is some weird permutation of a violent act.

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And Now The Senate Gets Into The Act

January 23, 2013 by

Yesterday was the first day that the Senate leadership would allow new bills to be introduced in the 113th Congress. So far five gun control bills have been introduced as well as a stealth bill from Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) that may or may not be a gun control bill. It is my understanding that Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) plans to introduce her ban on firearms with cosmetic features she doesn’t like on Thursday.

The text of all of these bills has not been received by the Government Printing Office.

S.2 – Harry Reid (D-NV)
Co-Sponsors:
Sen Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] – 1/22/2013
Sen Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] – 1/22/2013
Sen Cantwell, Maria [D-WA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] – 1/22/2013
Sen Durbin, Richard [D-IL] – 1/22/2013
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] – 1/22/2013
Sen Levin, Carl [D-MI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] – 1/22/2013
Sen Murphy, Christopher S. [D-CT] – 1/22/2013
Sen Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV] – 1/22/2013
Sen Schatz, Brian [D-HI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
A bill to reduce violence and protect the citizens of the United States. 


Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee

S.22 – Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Co-Sponsors:
Sen Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] – 1/22/2013
Sen Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] – 1/22/2013
Sen Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE] – 1/22/2013
Sen Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] – 1/22/2013
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Sen Levin, Carl [D-MI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] – 1/22/2013
Sen Reed, Jack [D-RI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Wyden, Ron [D-OR] – 1/22/2013
A bill to establish background check procedures for gun shows
Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee

S.33 – Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Co-Sponsors:
Sen Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] – 1/22/2013
Sen Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] – 1/22/2013
Sen Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE] – 1/22/2013
Sen Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] – 1/22/2013
Sen Durbin, Richard [D-IL] – 1/22/2013
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Franken, Al [D-MN] – 1/22/2013
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Sen Harkin, Tom [D-IA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Levin, Carl [D-MI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] – 1/22/2013
Sen Murphy, Christopher S. [D-CT] – 1/22/2013
Sen Reed, Jack [D-RI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] – 1/22/2013
A bill to prohibit the transfer or possession of large capacity ammunition feeding devices, and for other purposes.
Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee

S.34 – Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Co-Sponsors:
Sen Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] – 1/22/2013
Sen Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Durbin, Richard [D-IL] – 1/22/2013
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Sen Levin, Carl [D-MI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] – 1/22/2013
Sen Reed, Jack [D-RI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] – 1/22/2013
A bill to increase public safety by permitting the Attorney General to deny the transfer of firearms or the issuance of firearms and explosives licenses to known or suspected dangerous terrorists.
Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee

S.35 – Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Co-Sponsors:
Sen Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] – 1/22/2013
Sen Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] – 1/22/2013
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
Sen Reed, Jack [D-RI] – 1/22/2013
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] – 1/22/2013
A bill to require face to face purchases of ammunition, to require licensing of ammunition dealers, and to require reporting regarding bulk purchases of ammunition.
Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee

S.54 – Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Co-Sponsor:
Sen Durbin, Richard [D-IL] – 1/22/2013
A bill to increase public safety by punishing and deterring firearms trafficking. 
 Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee

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Lautenberg Introduces Mag Ban To Senate

January 22, 2013 by 3 Comments

Today is the first day that Senators can introduce bills and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) has wasted no time. I am presuming that Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) likewise has introduced her new “assault weapon” (sic) ban. The Library of Congress’ Thomas page has not been updated to reflect any bills introduced into the Senate.

While the exact wording of Lautenberg’s bill is not absolutely know, I am presuming that it will be identical to that of Rep. Carolyn McCarthy’s HR 138.

In the release below I find a couple of things interesting. First, Lautenberg implies that former President George W. Bush is in support of his bill. Second, that Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) is a co-sponsor of the bill. Franken has been a little wishy-washy in the last few weeks on guns as he looks to the 2014 election cycle.

From Lautenberg’s press release:


WASHINGTON, DC—On the first day for bills to be introduced in the 113th Congress, U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today introduced his bill to ban high-capacity ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds. The proposal—which Lautenberg first introduced in January 2011—is a major component of the gun safety plan President Obama announced last week.

“The latest tragedy in Newtown was a wake up call for our nation, and now we must now turn our grief into action to reduce further tragedies. It is clearer than ever that there is no place in our communities for military-style supersized magazines like those used inside Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Aurora, and in Tucson, and I will keep working to reinstate the ban on them,” said Senator Lautenberg. “President Obama’s bold plan to address gun violence included my common-sense proposal to ban high-capacity magazines holding more than 10 rounds, and we will get to work in Congress to pass this bill and other reasonable reforms that protect children and families. This is the kind of sensible reform that has the support of Democrats and Republicans, hunters and responsible gun owners, and it is time for Congress to listen to the American people and put this ban back in place.”

A companion bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and has the support of 48 cosponsors.

“Senator Lautenberg and I have reintroduced the bill to ban high-capacity ammunition magazines because they’re the common thread in every major mass shooting in recent history and taking them off the market can have a major impact on saving lives in America. The horrific murders in Newtown have shown how our nation’s lax attitude towards gun violence has gone too far and we must take action to save lives,” said Rep. McCarthy

Senator Lautenberg’s “Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act” would prohibit the manufacture and sale of ammunition magazines that have a capacity of, or could be readily converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition. From 1994 to 2004, these high-capacity ammunition magazines were illegal as part of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in 2004. Since that time, high-capacity clips (holding more than 10 rounds at a time) have been legal to manufacture and sell under federal law.

Senator Lautenberg first introduced his bill after a high-capacity ammunition magazine was used to carry out the shooting spree in Tucson, allowing the shooter to fire off 31 bullets in just 15 seconds. The shooter was subdued when he stopped to reload. In addition to the Tucson tragedy, high-capacity magazines were used in mass shootings at Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, Aurora, Oak Creek, and Newtown.

The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tom Carper (D-DE), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Carl Levin (D-MI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Al Franken (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney have expressed support for reinstating the ban on high-capacity magazines in the past, and polls show that 65 percent of Americans support such a ban.

UPDATE: Lautenberg’s bill is S.33. It currently has 16 co-sponsors as mentioned above in his press release.

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Sweet Baby James On Gun Control

January 22, 2013 by 5 Comments

Nicholas Ballasy of The Daily Caller caught up with singer-songwriter James Taylor after he performed at the inaugural ceremonies yesterday. One of the questions asked of Taylor was about gun control.

“I think the nation is very divided on gun control,” Taylor told TheDC, “but I think the majority of us feel strongly — even the majority of gun owners feel strongly — that we need to make some sacrifice[s] to our freedoms, if that’s the way to put it. We need to make some sacrifices to what we might want to have, in order to safeguard our children.”

“I think there’s a limit to how much — I think the founding fathers wanted us to be able to arm ourselves, but I don’t think that they would have agreed that we should have the capacity to do the damage that we do have. And we just can’t afford it.”

James Taylor may have seen fire and rain but I doubt he’s actually seen the wrath of those of us who he thinks should make some sacrifices. As it is, given his own mental health past which includes being rejected by the Selective Service on psychological grounds, it is doubtful that he could truthfully answer “No” to question 11f on the Form 4473. I’d put him in the maybe yes, maybe no category.

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Attention Connecticut Gun Owners

January 22, 2013 by

The National Shooting Sports Foundation has issued an action alert regarding a public hearing in Connecticut on gun control. The Gun Violence (sic)  Prevention Working Group Public Hearing will be held next Monday, January 28th, at 10am in Room 2C of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. This may be the only time to testify regarding many of the draconian gun control proposals being floated.

From the alert:

Legislators in Hartford are in the process of destroying your Second Amendment rights by exploiting recent tragedies. Gov. Malloy, Sen. Beth Bye, and Rep. Bob Godfrey want outright bans and onerous restrictions on your rights through an enormous number of Anti-Gun Bills. Here are a few of the items included in one of their proposals:

  • An outright ban on ALL modern sporting rifles classifying them as “Assault Weapons.”


  • Restricting your ability to defend yourself and family by arbitrarily restricting the magazine size to 10 rounds.

  • Confiscating ALL magazines holding more than 10 rounds, pistols included.

  • Statewide gun registration for ALL firearms; knowing full well criminals won’t ever register their guns.

  • Re-registration every 2 years with ever increasing fees.

  • Requires permit for any rifle with a pistol grip.

  • Limiting how much ammunition you can purchase AND possess.

  • Registration of all ammunition purchases.

  • Bans internet sales of ammo in Connecticut.

  • Mandatory gun storage laws, like the one the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in the Heller decision.

There will only be a few opportunities for discussion and opposition as many in Hartford are trying to pass legislation as quickly as possible. The first hearing (and may be the only time to testify) will occur next Monday, Jan. 28, at 10 a.m. at the Legislative Office Building.

Gun Violence Prevention Working Group Public Hearing
Monday, Jan. 28, 2013
Legislative Office Building
10 a.m., Room 2C

NSSF is urging all gun owners, sportsmen and hunters to attend Monday’s public hearing to be held in the Legislative Office Building in Room 2C at 10 a.m. and to contact their state representative, senator and all members of the Committee immediately, urging them to oppose knee-jerk reaction legislation.

Find your elected officials here.

If this bill passes, law-abiding gun owners will have to begin surrendering their magazines and possibly modern sporting rifles, or face confiscation by the state police and a felony charge. Again, this proposal would make simple possession of a legally owned firearm or magazine a felony.

This draconian measure will also affect non-gun owners as all Connecticut tax payers will be forced to foot the bill for the extraordinary process of having police confiscate — from law-abiding citizens — AND registration databases.

Making matters worse, Connecticut manufacturers including Colt, Mossberg, Stag Arms, Mec-Gar, OKAY Industries, Ruger and Metalform will be directly affected by this legislation. That means a loss of jobs and tax revenue to the state.

Here are a few of the other pieces of legislation under consideration:

HB 5268, SB140 – To require firearm owners to maintain liability insurance and establish a sales tax on the sale of ammunition at a rate of 50 percent and require all ammunition to be purchased in person.

SB 122 – A class C felony offense for any person or organization to purchase, sell, donate, transport, possess or use any gun except one made to fire a single round.

SB 124 – Prohibit the possession of magazines that accept more than ten rounds.

Don’t let legislators trample your rights. Let your voice be heard now.

Please contact members of the Task Force listed below. These are the main numbers so please ask for the legislator’s office.
Sen. Martin Looney, Co-chair 860-240-8600
Rep. Craig Miner, Co-chair 860-240-8700
Rep. Gerald Fox III 860-240-8500
Rep. Stephen Dargan 860-240-8500
Rep. Bob Godfrey 860-240-8500
Rep. Toni Walker 860-240-8500
Rep. Rosa Rebimbas 860-240-8700
Rep. Janice Giegler 860-240-8700
Rep. Dan Carter 860-240-8700
Sen. Eric Coleman 860-240-8600
Sen. John Fonfara 860-240-8600
Sen. Joan Hartley 860-240-8600
Sen. John Kissel 860-240-8800
Sen. Scott Frantz 860-240-8800
Sen. Tony Guglielmo 860-240-8800
Sen. Kevin Witkos 860-240-8800

Not trying to be overly snarky but I don’t see anything in those proposals that forces troubled young men living in million dollar homes with single mothers to get mental health treatment. I would think that existing Connecticut state law might just cover killing your mom and stealing her guns.