D.C. gun restrictions

[Guest ALPAdude]

<TABLE id=topTools cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Anyone else see this?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-02-26-congress-guns_N.htm

Senate votes to ease D.C. gun restrictions

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WASHINGTON (AP) — District of Columbia residents would have far greater access to firearms, including semiautomatic weapons, under a measure the Senate approved Thursday.

The 62-36 vote was a victory for the pro-gun lobby which has waged a lengthy battle against the tough antigun laws imposed by the district on its residents.

It comes eight months after the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, ruled that the district's 32-year-old ban on handgun possession violated Second Amendment rights to bear arms.

The district, said Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., the sponsor of the measure "has attempted to subvert what the Supreme Court did by putting very burdensome types of laws to make it more and more difficult for district residents to own a gun to be able to protect themselves in their own homes."

Ensign offered the measure as an amendment to legislation giving the district a vote in the House of Representatives. It still must be included when the Senate negotiates the final version of the D.C. vote bill with the House, which last year passed a nearly identical bill with the support of 85 Democrats.

Opponents said district officials have enacted various new regulations to comply with the Supreme Court ruling and that the Ensign amendment would endanger both the residents of the capital and the national leaders who work there.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said it was reckless and irresponsible. "I believe it will lead to more weapons and more violence on the streets of the nation's capital. It will endanger the citizens of the district and government employees who work here, our elected officials and those who visit this great American capital."

She added that it was a "first new step" by the pro-gun lobby "to remove all commonsense gun regulations" from the country. "How deep have we sunk in catering to these interests. For shame."

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, in protesting the amendment, said it would allow D.C. residents to cross state lines to buy handguns in neighboring states and would repeal the district's ban on military-style weapons, including sniper rifles that can pierce armor plating. It would lower from 21 to the federal limit of 18 the age when people can possess handguns and ease the district's registration requirements.

But Ensign said the district's high murder rate has only risen as city officials imposed stricter gun control laws. "We want to make sure that law-abiding citizens are able to get guns," he said, adding that it was time to "address this real constitutional injustice."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Guest jackdog]

Go for it Mr. Ensign.

Some body should muzzle that Kalforina B**ich. Her liberal bull**** is more than I can Stand. She is a disgrace to our country our government and to her oath of office.

[Guest 270win]

Funny how Dianne Fienstein (sp) is a US special deputy marshal and has a California concealed weapon license....thus allowing her to be armed ANYWHERE like a fed agent...but she doesn't want people to have access to firearms. Quite a hypocrite.

[Oh Shoot]

Funny how Dianne Fienstein (sp) is a US special deputy marshal and has a California concealed weapon license....thus allowing her to be armed ANYWHERE like a fed agent...but she doesn't want people to have access to firearms. Quite a hypocrite.

Common misconception. She had a permit (don't know what kind) many years ago for about a year due to some specific threats from a certain group. As a matter of fact, a bomb was planted in her home. Turned it (and the gun) in after the situation passed that she got it for.

I don't know anything about her being a "special deputy marshal", maybe that's how she was able to carry at the time, as this happened in the 70's, before anybody could carry in any state, as far as I know.

Certainly NOT "defending" her, and she IS anti-gun. But the facts always get "word of mouth" distorted in regard to this.

- OS

Edited February 27, 2009 by OhShoot