Democrat House Goes Pro-gun!

[fodderblade]

NRA-ILA email Alert 8:40 AM EST 9-18-08



D.C. Second Amendment Enforcement
Act Passes House, Moves to Senate
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Fairfax, VA - The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to approve the National Rifle Association (NRA)-backed "Second Amendment Enforcement Act" in an overwhelming bi-partisan vote of 266-152. The Act, passed as an amendment to H.R. 6842, will overturn the District of Columbia's gun control restrictions that defy the recent Supreme Court ruling by continuing to limit D.C. residents' right to self-defense. This bill is necessary to enforce the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in District of Columbia v. Heller.
Following passage, Chris W. Cox, NRA's chief lobbyist remarked, "From the moment the Supreme Court overturned this failed gun ban, elitist politicians have sought to undermine the Court's decision with bogus emergency regulations that all but stop residents from exercising their Second Amendment rights. NRA wants to make sure D.C. residents are able to protect themselves and their families."
On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled "the District's ban on handgun possession in the home violates the Second Amendment, as does its prohibition against rendering any lawful firearm in the home operable for the purpose of immediate self-defense."
A bi-partisan group of Congressmen introduced legislation this summer to force the D.C. Council into compliance with the Supreme Court after the council enacted 'emergency' gun-control restrictions on its residents after D.C.'s gun ban and self-defense ban were overturned.
The Second Amendment Enforcement Act will:
[ul][*]Repeal the District's ban on semi-automatic handguns. Semi-automatic pistols have been the most commonly purchased firearms in the United States over the last 20 years, and therefore a ban on those firearms is unconstitutional as decided by Heller;
[*]Restore the right of self-defense by repealing the requirement that firearms be disassembled or secured with a trigger lock in the home;
[*]Reform the current D.C. registration system that requires multiple visits to police headquarters; ballistics testing; passing a written test on D.C. gun laws; fingerprinting; and limiting registration to one handgun per 90 days. The current system is unduly burdensome and serves as a vehicle for even more onerous restrictions; and
[*]Create a limited exemption to the federal ban on interstate handgun sales by allowing D.C. residents to purchase handguns in Virginia and Maryland. Currently there is only one licensed firearm dealer in the District, and the District government is standing in the way of additional dealers opening their doors. A 40-year old federal law prohibits residents from purchasing handguns outside of the District. [/ul]

[sachiko]

I would be more impressed had they done this BEFORE the Heller decision. Congress actually controls the District. They could have done this years and years ago instead of waiting until they were humiliated by the Supreme Court.All they're doing here is trying to wipe the egg off their faces.

And I'm not giving the Republicans a pass who have been in control of Congress and could have done this years ago. It isn't just Democrats who are anti-second amendment. The anti-second amendment Republicans, like Mitt Romney,give off an even more putrid stench because they aren't honest about it.

[fodderblade]

ORIGINAL: daddyslittlegirl

I would be more impressed had they done this BEFORE the Heller decision. Congress actually controls the District. They could have done this years and years ago instead of waiting until they were humiliated by the Supreme Court.All they're doing here is trying to wipe the egg off their faces.

And I'm not giving the Republicans a pass who have been in control of Congress and could have done this years ago. It isn't just Democrats who are anti-second amendment. The anti-second amendment Republicans, like Mitt Romney,give off an even more putrid stench because they aren't honest about it.

Excellent point. I agree. I would further add that when any of the powers that be slap a partisan R or D on the 2nd Amd., or any other part of the US Constitution, we all suffer.


Our rights should be a non-partisan affair - we all need and should love the Constitution, leaving our partisn immaturity at the door.

[kevin1]

ORIGINAL: fodderblade



Our rights should be a non-partisan affair - we all need and should love the Constitution, leaving our partisan immaturity at the door.

I've seriously considered having it tattooed on my chest, but I'm too big a sissy to hold still that long.

[bugsNbows]

Funny how things transpire during an election year.

[burniegoeasily]

ORIGINAL: bugsNbows

Funny how things transpire during an election year.

I was thinking the same thing. Wonder how long that will last. Did they make up the Brady's bed when they left, or did they leave it a mess because they know they will be getting back in later.

[BigTiny]

ORIGINAL: bugsNbows

Funny how things transpire during an election year.

How many riders are tacked onto that thing? I shudder to think.

[remington_girl]

A step in the right direction at least.

[falcon]

Yep, lots of Democraps voted against the Second Amendment, as expected. 7 Repugnants also voted against theSecond Amendment and 11 gutless Repugnants refused to vote.



http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll601.xml

[North Texan]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is not a pro-gun measure. If the phrase "lipstick on a hog" every applies, it applies here.

Repeal the District's ban on semi-automatic handguns. Semi-automatic pistols have been the most commonly purchased firearms in the United States over the last 20 years, and therefore a ban on those firearms is unconstitutional as decided by Heller;

Restore the right of self-defense by repealing the requirement that firearms be disassembled or secured with a trigger lock in the home

These two measures do absolutely nothing. The Supreme Court has already ruled them unconstitutional, and they were unenforceable the day the decision was published.

Reform the current D.C. registration system that requires multiple visits to police headquarters; ballistics testing; passing a written test on D.C. gun laws; fingerprinting; and limiting registration to one handgun per 90 days. The current system is unduly burdensome and serves as a vehicle for even more onerous restrictions; and

What is it being reformed to? And why are we happy the registration system is being reformed? Do we really want to keep the registration system?

Create a limited exemption to the federal ban on interstate handgun sales by allowing D.C. residents to purchase handguns in Virginia and Maryland. Currently there is only one licensed firearm dealer in the District, and the District government is standing in the way of additional dealers opening their doors. A 40-year old federal law prohibits residents from purchasing handguns outside of the District.

My reading of this indicates nothing was done to keep the district government from standing in the way of additional dealers opening their doors. Is that not a problem?

And are we really exited about a limited exemption to the federal (key word here is federal) ban on interstate handgun sales? The federal idiots are the ones that caused this mess in the first place.

What this amounts to is a poor effort to pander to voters and "improve" an NRA rating during an election year. This bill is nothing more than lip service to gun owners and does nothing more than conform to the Supreme Court's latest ruling. Two of the four things this bill accomplishes have already been done. The other two conform the law to prevent further overturning by the SCOTUS. If these two were so restrictive as to cause the same effects in practice as the first two did on paper, the reasonable deduction there is they are unconstitutional as well.

The votes on this bill mean nothing. Anti-gunners could have voted for it in hopes of preserving at least some restrictions and avoid tempting fate and inviting further Supreme Court overturnings. Pro-gunners could have voted against it because it does very little to conform in a very limited manner to the Heller decision. It does very little to conform to the true meaning of the Second Amendment.