cuchulainn
Member
from the Fresno Bee
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/7619081p-8526422c.html
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/7619081p-8526422c.html
Gun liability bill gains support
Daschle is among nearly 60 sponsors in the Senate.
By Lawrence M. O'Rourke
Bee Washington Bureau
(Published Monday, October 20, 2003, 7:30 AM)
WASHINGTON -- With the unexpected support of Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, the Republican majority in Congress is close to passing legislation that would grant sweeping legal protection to gun manufacturers and dealers.
"The vast majority of gun owners, manufacturers and sellers are honest and law-abiding," Daschle said in a statement as he announced his support for the bill, a priority for the National Rifle Association.
The measure would bar future lawsuits for money damages and put a stop to previously filed damage claims, according to Michael Barnes, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Barnes said that one consequence would be to stop lawsuits filed by nine families of Washington sniper victims over allowing the accused snipers to obtain the weapon they allegedly used a year ago. The defendants are Bushmaster Firearms Inc. of Windham, Maine, a manufacturer, and Bulls Eye Shooter Supply of Tacoma, Wash., a dealer.
The legislation has 54 sponsors, enough to pass but not enough to overcome a threatened filibuster. Forty-four sponsors are Republicans, 10 are Democrats. It would take 60 votes to kill the filibuster.
"I think I have my 60 votes to proceed," said the chief Senate sponsor, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho. Craig said he is confident he can pick up votes from five of the six Republican senators who have not added themselves as co-sponsors.
As the session nears the end, opponents of the gun bill retain hope that it can still be stopped.
"We are working hard to hold our 40 votes," said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., a leader in the opposition. "It's a big struggle. I don't know where this will come out."
With Daschle behind the bill and House conservatives calling for its passage, "it's a very precarious situation," said Eric Howard, spokesman for the Brady Campaign, the main group fighting the NRA.
The legislation would have Congress declare that firearm and ammunition makers, distributors, importers and dealers should "not be liable for the harm caused by those who criminally or unlawfully misuse firearm products or ammunition products that function as designed and intended."
Brian Siebel, a Brady Campaign lawyer working on lawsuits filed in several states, cited federal trial evidence that 15% of handguns produced or imported for sale in the United States were used in a crime by 2000. "Crime guns are the industry's third-largest handgun market, behind only guns for personal protection and target shooting," he said.
Declaring his support for the measure, Daschle said, "It is wrong, and it is a misuse of the civil justice system, to try to punish honest, law-abiding people for illegal acts committed by others without their knowledge or involvement."
Daschle's decision to support the bill appeared to open the way for other Democrats to sign on as sponsors.
"I was a bit surprised by Senator Daschle's decision to support this bill," said Reed, the opposition leader. Reed noted that the NRA has a large membership in South Dakota, where Daschle is running for re-election next year.
Both Reed and Andrew Arulanandam, an NRA spokesman, agreed that both advocates and opponents are aggressively lobbying several senators on the fence.
Aides to Daschle said he decided to support the legislation after the gun industry and its congressional supporters agreed to make it clear that gun manufacturers and distributors would not be protected from lawsuits involving defective products or illegal sales.
Daschle is among nearly 60 sponsors in the Senate.
By Lawrence M. O'Rourke
Bee Washington Bureau
(Published Monday, October 20, 2003, 7:30 AM)
WASHINGTON -- With the unexpected support of Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, the Republican majority in Congress is close to passing legislation that would grant sweeping legal protection to gun manufacturers and dealers.
"The vast majority of gun owners, manufacturers and sellers are honest and law-abiding," Daschle said in a statement as he announced his support for the bill, a priority for the National Rifle Association.
The measure would bar future lawsuits for money damages and put a stop to previously filed damage claims, according to Michael Barnes, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Barnes said that one consequence would be to stop lawsuits filed by nine families of Washington sniper victims over allowing the accused snipers to obtain the weapon they allegedly used a year ago. The defendants are Bushmaster Firearms Inc. of Windham, Maine, a manufacturer, and Bulls Eye Shooter Supply of Tacoma, Wash., a dealer.
The legislation has 54 sponsors, enough to pass but not enough to overcome a threatened filibuster. Forty-four sponsors are Republicans, 10 are Democrats. It would take 60 votes to kill the filibuster.
"I think I have my 60 votes to proceed," said the chief Senate sponsor, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho. Craig said he is confident he can pick up votes from five of the six Republican senators who have not added themselves as co-sponsors.
As the session nears the end, opponents of the gun bill retain hope that it can still be stopped.
"We are working hard to hold our 40 votes," said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., a leader in the opposition. "It's a big struggle. I don't know where this will come out."
With Daschle behind the bill and House conservatives calling for its passage, "it's a very precarious situation," said Eric Howard, spokesman for the Brady Campaign, the main group fighting the NRA.
The legislation would have Congress declare that firearm and ammunition makers, distributors, importers and dealers should "not be liable for the harm caused by those who criminally or unlawfully misuse firearm products or ammunition products that function as designed and intended."
Brian Siebel, a Brady Campaign lawyer working on lawsuits filed in several states, cited federal trial evidence that 15% of handguns produced or imported for sale in the United States were used in a crime by 2000. "Crime guns are the industry's third-largest handgun market, behind only guns for personal protection and target shooting," he said.
Declaring his support for the measure, Daschle said, "It is wrong, and it is a misuse of the civil justice system, to try to punish honest, law-abiding people for illegal acts committed by others without their knowledge or involvement."
Daschle's decision to support the bill appeared to open the way for other Democrats to sign on as sponsors.
"I was a bit surprised by Senator Daschle's decision to support this bill," said Reed, the opposition leader. Reed noted that the NRA has a large membership in South Dakota, where Daschle is running for re-election next year.
Both Reed and Andrew Arulanandam, an NRA spokesman, agreed that both advocates and opponents are aggressively lobbying several senators on the fence.
Aides to Daschle said he decided to support the legislation after the gun industry and its congressional supporters agreed to make it clear that gun manufacturers and distributors would not be protected from lawsuits involving defective products or illegal sales.
Daschle is among nearly 60 sponsors in the Senate.
By Lawrence M. O'Rourke
Bee Washington Bureau
(Published Monday, October 20, 2003, 7:30 AM)
WASHINGTON -- With the unexpected support of Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, the Republican majority in Congress is close to passing legislation that would grant sweeping legal protection to gun manufacturers and dealers.
"The vast majority of gun owners, manufacturers and sellers are honest and law-abiding," Daschle said in a statement as he announced his support for the bill, a priority for the National Rifle Association.
The measure would bar future lawsuits for money damages and put a stop to previously filed damage claims, according to Michael Barnes, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Barnes said that one consequence would be to stop lawsuits filed by nine families of Washington sniper victims over allowing the accused snipers to obtain the weapon they allegedly used a year ago. The defendants are Bushmaster Firearms Inc. of Windham, Maine, a manufacturer, and Bulls Eye Shooter Supply of Tacoma, Wash., a dealer.
The legislation has 54 sponsors, enough to pass but not enough to overcome a threatened filibuster. Forty-four sponsors are Republicans, 10 are Democrats. It would take 60 votes to kill the filibuster.
"I think I have my 60 votes to proceed," said the chief Senate sponsor, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho. Craig said he is confident he can pick up votes from five of the six Republican senators who have not added themselves as co-sponsors.
As the session nears the end, opponents of the gun bill retain hope that it can still be stopped.
"We are working hard to hold our 40 votes," said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., a leader in the opposition. "It's a big struggle. I don't know where this will come out."
With Daschle behind the bill and House conservatives calling for its passage, "it's a very precarious situation," said Eric Howard, spokesman for the Brady Campaign, the main group fighting the NRA.
The legislation would have Congress declare that firearm and ammunition makers, distributors, importers and dealers should "not be liable for the harm caused by those who criminally or unlawfully misuse firearm products or ammunition products that function as designed and intended."
Brian Siebel, a Brady Campaign lawyer working on lawsuits filed in several states, cited federal trial evidence that 15% of handguns produced or imported for sale in the United States were used in a crime by 2000. "Crime guns are the industry's third-largest handgun market, behind only guns for personal protection and target shooting," he said.
Declaring his support for the measure, Daschle said, "It is wrong, and it is a misuse of the civil justice system, to try to punish honest, law-abiding people for illegal acts committed by others without their knowledge or involvement."
Daschle's decision to support the bill appeared to open the way for other Democrats to sign on as sponsors.
"I was a bit surprised by Senator Daschle's decision to support this bill," said Reed, the opposition leader. Reed noted that the NRA has a large membership in South Dakota, where Daschle is running for re-election next year.
Both Reed and Andrew Arulanandam, an NRA spokesman, agreed that both advocates and opponents are aggressively lobbying several senators on the fence.
Aides to Daschle said he decided to support the legislation after the gun industry and its congressional supporters agreed to make it clear that gun manufacturers and distributors would not be protected from lawsuits involving defective products or illegal sales.
© 2003, The Fresno Bee
