New Congress at Work Already

[paparock]

As we all know, the House and Senate has a new majority, the Democrats.

There are several bills coming up intoduced by the new majority I thought sportsmen and hunters might want to know about.

H.R.256 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.256.IH:

"The Child Gun Safety and Gun Access Prevention Act of 2007"

This is a bill that destroys the rights of anyone under 21 to protect themselves. As if the banning of perfectly legal handguns to individuals 21 years of age weren't bad enough, this proposed law would ban otherwise perfectly legal semi-automatic hunting rifles as well! Has this bill's sponsors considered the brave 18 to 20 year old American soldiers who are fighting the war on terrorists in the Middle East with handguns and select-fire rifles as I write these words? Yet when they come home they will not be allowed to possess civilian versions of these pistols and rifles?

H.R. 428 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.428.IH:

To quote H.R. 428: "To require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to ban toys which in size, shape, or overall appearance resemble real handguns."

H.R. 297 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.297.IH:

NICS Improvement Act

The "NICS Improvement Act" would seem to be based on good intentions, since it pretends to keep criminals from buying guns. We have to push forward to regain the gun rights we've already lost, not step backwards! I doubt few criminals buy their guns legally. The JPFO knows what they're talking about when they say that "gun control" is a euphemism for victim

disarmament!

H.R. 96 http://thomas.loc.gov/beta/billView.jsp?&k2dockey=/prd/k2/bills/xml/110/h96.ih.xml@billmerge&numHits=1&currDoc=1&currentPage=1&110%3Cin%3Econgress%29&congress=110

"The Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2007" All firearm purchases at gun shows are already subject to the exact same Federal background check and state laws as firearms purchased in a retail store. So where is the loophole but note the provisions that would in essence shot down down shows?

Links are provided for you to read the bills as offered for yourselves.

[Sam]

Thanks for the info, Paparock.  Super post!

I think the Dems have tried to pass the same type of legislation in the past but failed.

Please keep us posted on the various bills and their progress.

I don't hunt anymore (knees gone bad) nor have a handgun due to the kids that visit our home, but these changes will impact others and it will be interesting to see if the do pass will the President sign or veto them.

[BassChaser57]

It is interesting that congress is tying to make certain gun ownership unlawful, they made drugs illegal and they should see that a certain element of society are not going to honor the law. Would it not be a better investment in time and resources to enforce the already in place harsher sentences for committing a crime with a gun? The tide has turned as it appears certain gun ownership will be a thing of the past.

We will just have more time to fish.

[justfishin]

I have zero tolerance for the government in any way, shape or form controlling our right of possession or the right of legal non felon citizens to own firearms for the purpose of hunting or protecting our familys, period. I will not even go any farther on this subject and I am sure my statement angers a few but, my feelings on this subject will never change. If you disagree with me I will back up your right to do so 100%. That is what this country is all about.

[Water Dog]

Thanks for the info, obviously, Pelosi and Reid are having a problem keeping the choke collar tight on the even more loony left.

I think that they will bide their time in order to get one of their own is as President.  They have bigger priorities right now but they will advance their agenda with the complicity of the media on a thousand fronts if they get the Presidency.  If they do this Country will begin to die of a thousand cuts, little by little.   >

Michael Bloom, RHINO Republican and NY's billionaire mayor anti-gun zealot, under the cover of "stopping the flow of illegal guns" is continuing his lawsuits in violation a the Congressional ban to prevent lawsuits designed to bankrupt American gun manufacturers.  Brooklin District Judge, Jack B. Weinstein has ordered the appointment of a "master" to supervise every aspect of small, mom and pop, gun stores located in other States.  These businesses cannot endure the prospect of years of legal battles in New York.  Source: The American Rifleman, Standing Guard article by Wayne Lapierre.

Small business in NC, SC, GA, what ever State will be forced to cave in to the draconian oversite of the "master" chosen by Bloomberg, Andrew Weissman, who headed the Enron task force and most recently worked with the Chicago firm representing the Violence Policy Center.  Have you ever heard of the VPC, if not inform yourself, it's your Freedom they want to take away from you.

In NC, our beloved Gov., Mike Easley (Dem.), has a branch office of the VPC made up of at last count, thirteen University Personnel, who distribute anti-gun propanga payed for by the taxpayors naturally, to our prescious school children.

The school system of course gives the VPC  time to make their pitch to gullible young minds.  If a visiting kid sees a gun in your house he is supposed to report it.  They ask them to join a club and sign an oath!

We are on to their agenda here and have an organization called, Grass Roots NC, who has been  successful in heading off the more egregious state laws proposed by the 'wackos'.

Yes, our own 'Breck Girl', ambulance chasing lawyer, John Edwards, may be seen as the most viable Dem. candidate.

Don't be fooled by this guy, he is your Quintessential liberal.

[Glenn]

Hey guys,

Instead of getting upset over proposed bills, and then whitewashing an entire party with one general stroke, dig a little deeper into the issues that matter most to you and discover what problems they're trying to solve with these proposals.  Then call or write your representative and senator and propose alternative solutions - even if that means they're part of the "other" party.  What better deed to do than enlightening them with alternative solutions?

Posting rants about your general distain of one party or the other to a bunch of fishermen isn't going to make much difference.  Be a part of the solution instead.  Participate in American democracy. Otherwise you have no reason to complain.

[Grey Wolf]

Glenn , very well said.

[Rattlinrogue]

I'm also against TOO stringent gun laws.I've been selling guns for about 7 months now at my part time job at a local sporting goods store,and I can tell you,It would be virtually impossible for a criminal to buy a gun legally without a straw buyer.I've had several instances already where the FBI NICS check"delayed" the purchase and told me to try and keep the  person there until the police arrived.Which they did and took them out in handcuffs.The criminal check with the FBI takes only seconds.I'm usually on the phone with them for about a minute.99% of that is getting info.The computer check gives you an answer in seconds.My point is that we already have good laws and checks in effect.If a criminal is smart they'll buy them illegally anyway.By the way,although I consider myself conservative my House Representative is a Democrat who reflects his constituancy.He's a moderate to slightly right who does not tow the party line.

[Gatorbassman]

Very well put Glenn.

As ya'll read this remember that the House of Representatives is only one part of our government. At this point in time they just so happened to be the loudest part, but they can't do anything on their own. They still need the backing of the Senate and the President must sign it. The Senate has several outstanding level headed men and women on both sides of the isles that see and know what is going on. The NRA and many other lobbying groups are doing a fine job. We must let the people that represent us hear what we have to say in order to have an impact personally. Please don't just sit around an point fingers. Do something about it.

And yes I am a member of the NRA and several other groups who work to protect our right to protect ourselves.

[paparock]

Glenn, I am a registered "independent" and agree that bashing any one party here serves little purpose. It is however notable that the anti-gun legislation does come primarily from one party but not exclusively. I, as I hope other's that enjoy the outdoor sports will take the time to call, write, or otherwise let the elected representatives know their stands on gun issues.

It is already against the law for "criminals" (those with criminal records) to buy firearms. It is also a crime for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm. These elected officials proposing these new laws know that. It is their stated purpose to make the mere ownership of more and more firearms illegal for those not having a criminal history or in other words the average law abiding citizen that can presently own said firearms legally. That is why I posted links to the proposed bills so anyone could read for themselves the actual proposed legislation and thereby make up their own mind as to it's worthiness.

Take for example the new 2007 bill H.R.256

"The Child Gun Safety and Gun Access Prevention Act of 2007"

It will make ownership, the possession of a handgun or ammunition by a person who is less than 21 years of age, even inside their own residence, and cannot be used even in self-defense against an intruder. Also despite being a soldier coming back from Iraq if you are under 21 years old you will not be able to own or have in your possession a handgun, ammunition, semiautomatic "assault weapon", or large capacity ammunition feeding device.

Under this bill:SEC. 5. RESPONSIBILITY OF ADULTS FOR DEATH AND INJURY CAUSED BY CHILD ACCESS TO FIREARMS.

In this subsection, the term 'child' means an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years.

Any person who--

'(A) keeps a loaded firearm, or an unloaded firearm and ammunition for the firearm, any one of which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, within any premises that is under the custody or control of that person; and

'( knows, or recklessly disregards the risk, that a child is capable of gaining access to the firearm; and

'©(i) knows, or recklessly disregards the risk, that a child will use the firearm to cause death or serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365 of this title) to the child or any other person; or

'(ii) knows, or recklessly disregards the risk, that possession of the firearm by the child is unlawful under Federal or State law,

if the child uses the firearm to cause death or serious bodily injury to the child or any other person, shall be imprisoned not more than 3 years, fined under this title, or both.

In layman's language if you have a gun with ammo and it is not in a safe or under lock and key then you are subject to 3 years in prison if it is stolen by someone under 18 and used in a crime on someone or the person has no reasonable expectation, based on objective facts and circumstances, that a child is likely to be present on the premises on which the firearm is kept. Therefore, if you can prove you are innocent but if you read all the language you can charge most any average Joe depending on the prosecutors interpretation.

All that is in but one bill. These congressmen and congresswomen know quite well, what their bills effects will be and it is their intent.

The alternative solution is one that has been proposed since I was a child. Punish the lawbreakers not the law abiding. There should be a mandandory add on of 10 years for the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony or injury to a person. The problem is those that passed anything like such a law did not make it mandatory and it became the bargaining chip to drop for reduced charge plea bargains. Gun use in crime needs a non-option mandated tack on of time to added to the sentence for the crime committed. There should be no option for plea bargains, drop charge, etc. but only if you do not want to do the time do not use a firearm in crime. The problem is that is not the agenda motivating the idealogs behind the scenes pushing to legislate the disarming of the American population in total. By definition, criminals are those that do not obey laws so how does passing a law to make ownership of a firearm for a whole age class of currently law abiding citizens going to solve the problem. Answer: It is not and our Congressmen and women know that but it will take the guns out of the hands of those that will obey a new restrictive law. Why are those that do the crimes of violence with firearms not locked up longer? Why is that not easy for them to understand? I can only guess since those such as I have been writing, speaking, faxing, and voting that answer for since I was able to vote and I am now 57. Could it be that those legislators do not care about that but in fact have a different idea in mind. There was a memo sent out from the DNC to the membership in which members were urged not to offer their views on gun control as it was not popular and might lose votes. What ever happened to share your true core values, let the people decide, and that goes for all parties on any subject. No party be it Republican, Democrat, Socialist, Communist, etc. should be allowed to hide the truth of who they are and what they believe in. This is not about a party, or blame, but about us the American people losing or rights to and an ever-increasing State control of our lives. In the new Speaker of the House's district of San Francisco, there is now a proposed law against spanking a child under the age of three with prison time proposed. I wonder how long it will be before it comes before the Congress for possible national consideration. For only armed with knowledge of the truth can the people make an informed decision.

In today's America, truth unfortunately has taken a back of the bus seat to politics!

[justfishin]

Your right Glenn, this is why I  have belonged to the NRA for such  a looooooooong time.

[Tom Bass]

Great post Paparock. Thank you for the info.

Glenn is right. There are still some Dems that receive high ratings from the NRA but their numbers are few.

I'm a life member of the NRA. I plan to do my part in helping keep this type of legislation from moving forward. I hope everyone here does their part as well.

Thanks and enjoy the rest of this fine weekend. The bad guys return to work Monday. They'll be back in Congress.

Tom