Gixerman1000
Member
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has once again introduced legislation to renew the so-called "assault weapons" ban. S.2498 was introduced last week, and, by using a "nuclear option" referred to as Rule XIV, has gotten the bill placed on the Senate calendar.
As a Senate educational article on the subject puts it,
"Most bills are routinely referred to the committee with appropriate jurisdiction as soon as they are introduced. But if a Senator plans to introduce a bill and believes that the committee to which it would be referred will be unsympathetic, Rule XIV permits the Senator to bypass the standing committee system altogether and have the bill placed directly on the Calendar of Business, with exactly the same formal status the bill would have if it had been the subject of extensive hearings and exhaustive mark-up meetings in committee."
The article goes on to say that this option is considered a last resort by Senators, because it "undermines the committee system as a whole and because they do not wish to encourage a practice that can be used against their own committees."
So, Sen. Feinstein and her 11 co-sponsors (the usual suspects) have thrown down the gauntlet, and a true showdown is shaping up. Once again, we must contact our Senators, ESPECIALLY those who voted against the AWB renewal amendment several months ago, to stand firm in their opposition to this ill-conceived and proven ineffective idea. Because the AWB renewal has enough votes in the Senate to pass, a filibuster is likely the only way it can be stopped there
The Senators who voted against the recent amendment renewing the ban need our support and encouragement to stand their ground, as it the rhetoric put forth by the anti-gun side will undoubtedly be intense and viscous.
It is unclear when S.2498 will come up for consideration, so let's get busy NOW.
You can see how your Senators voted recently on the AWB here.
http://www.awbansunset.com/senate.html
You can find your Senators' contact info here.
http://www.senate.gov/
As a Senate educational article on the subject puts it,
"Most bills are routinely referred to the committee with appropriate jurisdiction as soon as they are introduced. But if a Senator plans to introduce a bill and believes that the committee to which it would be referred will be unsympathetic, Rule XIV permits the Senator to bypass the standing committee system altogether and have the bill placed directly on the Calendar of Business, with exactly the same formal status the bill would have if it had been the subject of extensive hearings and exhaustive mark-up meetings in committee."
The article goes on to say that this option is considered a last resort by Senators, because it "undermines the committee system as a whole and because they do not wish to encourage a practice that can be used against their own committees."
So, Sen. Feinstein and her 11 co-sponsors (the usual suspects) have thrown down the gauntlet, and a true showdown is shaping up. Once again, we must contact our Senators, ESPECIALLY those who voted against the AWB renewal amendment several months ago, to stand firm in their opposition to this ill-conceived and proven ineffective idea. Because the AWB renewal has enough votes in the Senate to pass, a filibuster is likely the only way it can be stopped there
The Senators who voted against the recent amendment renewing the ban need our support and encouragement to stand their ground, as it the rhetoric put forth by the anti-gun side will undoubtedly be intense and viscous.
It is unclear when S.2498 will come up for consideration, so let's get busy NOW.
You can see how your Senators voted recently on the AWB here.
http://www.awbansunset.com/senate.html
You can find your Senators' contact info here.
http://www.senate.gov/
, and again and again.........if that's what it takes. 
