Feinstein Sponsors Bill To Make ALL Centerfire .50's Class III Weapons

[Airwolf]

S 429 IS

108th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 429
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to regulate certain 50 caliber sniper weapons in the same manner as machine guns and other firearms, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 24, 2003

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. CORZINE, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. DURBIN, and Mr. LEVIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance



A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to regulate certain 50 caliber sniper weapons in the same manner as machine guns and other firearms, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Anti-Terrorism Military Sniper Weapon Reclassification Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that--

(1) certain firearms originally designed and built for use as long-range 50 caliber military sniper weapons are increasingly sold in the domestic civilian market;


(2) the intended use of these long-range firearms, and an increasing number of models derived directly from them, is the taking of human life and the destruction of materiel, including armored vehicles and such components of the national critical infrastructure as radars and microwave transmission devices;


(3) these firearms are neither designed nor used in any significant number for legitimate sporting or hunting purposes and are clearly distinguishable from rifles intended for sporting and hunting use;


(4) extraordinarily destructive ammunition for these weapons, including armor-piercing and armor-piercing incendiary ammunition, is freely sold in interstate commerce; and


(5) the virtually unrestricted availability of these firearms and ammunition, given the uses intended in their design and manufacture, present a serious and substantial threat to the national security.


SEC. 3. COVERAGE OF 50 CALIBER SNIPER WEAPONS UNDER NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 5845(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (defining firearm) is amended by striking `(6) a machine gun; (7) any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (8) a destructive device.' and inserting `(6) a 50 caliber sniper weapon; (7) a machine gun; (8) any silencer (as defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code); and (9) a destructive device.'.

(b) 50 CALIBER SNIPER WEAPON-

(1) IN GENERAL- Section 5845 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by redesignating subsections (d) through (m) as subsections (e) through (n), respectively, and by inserting after subsection (c) the following:


`(d) 50 CALIBER SNIPER WEAPON- The term `50 caliber sniper weapon' means a rifle capable of firing a center-fire cartridge in 50 caliber, .50 BMG caliber, any other variant of 50 caliber, or any metric equivalent of such calibers.'.

(2) MODIFICATION TO DEFINITION OF RIFLE- Section 5845(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting `or from a bipod or other support' after `shoulder'.


(3) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 5811(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking `section 5845(e)' and inserting `section 5845(f)'.

END

 

[Tropical Z]

MAN,i wish Feinstein would arrive in the right place at the right time! Shes an absolute IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tropical Z]

Hopefully she and Chuckie will go to Iraq to support their idol and theyll be taken out by an errant shot from an F18!

 

[BerettaNut92]

Speechless.

 

[Leatherneck]

Speechless.

Well we'd better not be, Skunk; get on the horn to your congresscritter ASAP!

TC
TFL Survivor

 

[50 Shooter]

A few years back she had a list of guns that she thought was okay for people to own. One of the guns on the list was a Barrett M95 .50 BMG. It would be great if someone could find that list and post it, that way when people write letters they could include that little fact.

It was posted somewhere else that this was the first time she was introducing this. That's a bunch of crap, this will be the third try for her to get the .50's banned.

If you want more info go to www.fcspi.org BTW they are raffling off a .50 BMG.

 

[Airwolf]

Got it!

http://www.claremont.org/projects/doctors/011221kopel_wheeler.html

Ironically, in 1994, Senator Feinstein pushed into law her ban on so-called "assault weapons." Her law was titled the "Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act." The law contained a specific list of several hundred models of "recreational firearms." Included in her list of benign guns are the Barrett Model 90 Bolt Action Rifle — a fifty caliber target rifle. Yet Senator Feinstein's new bill claims that "these firearms are neither designed nor used in any significant number for legitimate sporting or hunting purposes and are clearly distinguishable from rifles intended for sporting and hunting use."

So the very same guns which Senator Feinstein lauded in her "Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act" in 1994 are now said to be "clearly distinguishable from rifles intended for sporting and hunting use." One suspects that firearms stay on her personal list of "good" guns only as long as there is no political opportunity to push for their prohibition.

 

[Airwolf]

From her website:

http://www.senate.gov/~feinstein/03Releases/r-.50.htm

Senator Feinstein Introduces Legislation to Curb Sales of Powerful .50 Caliber Sniper Rifles

February 24, 2003

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation to curb the sale of the powerful .50 caliber military sniper rifle, making it more difficult for terrorists, criminals, and members of doomsday cults to obtain these deadly weapons.

"Fifty-caliber sniper rifles are deadly, military style assault weapons, designed solely for armed combat with wartime enemies," Senator Feinstein said. "The guns enable a single shooter to destroy enemy aircraft, jeeps, tanks, personnel carriers, bunkers, fuel stations, and even communication centers. Despite their deadly power, these weapons are widely available to civilians and subject to less regulation than shotguns, machine guns, and handguns.

"This legislation would begin to change that," Senator Feinstein said. "It would place stricter requirements on the way in which these guns can be bought and sold, making it harder for terrorists, assassins, and other criminals to obtain these powerful weapons. This is not a matter of firearm safety, but a matter of national security."

Current law classifies .50-caliber rifles as "long guns," which are subject to the least government regulation of any firearm. The legislation introduced today, known as the Anti-Terrorism Military Sniper Weapon Reclassification Act of 2003, would impose far stricter standards on these weapons and reclassify them under the National Firearms Act of 1934. National Firearms Act classification would mean that:

Fifty caliber rifles could only be purchased from a licensed dealer and could not be purchased secondhand. This would prevent the sale of these guns at gun shows and in other venues that make it hard for law enforcement to track the weapons.

Purchasers would have to fill out license transfer applications and provide fingerprints to be processed by the FBI in detailed criminal background checks. By reclassifying the .50 caliber, Congress will be making a determination that sellers should be more careful about to whom they give these powerful, military weapons. This background check process takes approximately 60 days.

"If we are to continue to allow private citizens to own and use guns of this caliber, range, and destructive power, we should at the very least take greater care in making sure that these guns do not fall into the wrong hands," Senator Feinstein said.

The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Charles Schumer, Jon Corzine, Frank Lautenberg, Richard Durbin and Carl Levin.

.50 Caliber Rifles weigh up to 28 pounds and are capable of:

Reliability hitting a target at more than a mile away.

Piercing light armor at more than 4 miles.

Piercing a manhole cover, a 600-pound safe, or an armored car.

Destroying an armored limousine, a helicopter, or a plane. One advertisement for the rifle promoted the weapon as able to wreck several million dollars' worth of jet aircraft with one or two dollars' worth of cartridge.

Penetrating several inches of steel, concrete, or light armor. In fact, many ranges used for target practice do not have enough safety features to accommodate these guns--they are too powerful.

Examples:

.50 caliber rifles were used by the U.S. military in the Gulf War to take out Iraq's armored vehicles.

Recent reports indicate that Al Qaeda is in possession of .50 caliber sniper rifles--rifles that were manufactured in the United States. Nearly two years ago, Essam al Ridi testified that he acquired 25 Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifles and shipped them to Al Qaeda members in Afghanistan.

In 1998, federal law enforcement apprehended three men belonging to a radical Michigan militia group. The three were charged with plotting to bomb federal office buildings, destroy highways and utilities. They were also charged with plotting to assassinate the State's governor, a United States Senator and federal judges. A .50 caliber sniper rifle was found in their possession along with a cache of weapons that included three illegal machine guns.

One doomsday cult headquartered in Montana purchased 10 of these rifles and stockpiled them in an underground bunker, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition and other guns.

Several ammunition dealers were willing to sell armor piercing ammunition to an undercover GAO investigator--even after the investigator said he wanted the ammunition to pierce an armored limousine or to take down a helicopter.

According to news accounts, a .50-caliber sniper rifle, smuggled out of the United States, was used by the Irish Republican Army to kill a large number of British soldiers.

 

[10-Ring]

OMG! Will this ever end? I knew she was trouble as mayor of SF :banghead: I've voted vs. her so many times I've lost count. Time to hit the fax & phone and voice my opinion

 

[Delmar]

Diane Feinstein has done more damage to this country than Jane Fonda.
Idea: could we pick up one of the above by the ankles and use her to beat the crap out of the other one? We could call it a hit and run or something???
I thought Feinstein was supposed to retire? I'd personally send her money if she would for once shut up and stay home.

 

[Russ]

This is why we need to keep the Congress in the hands of Republican majorities. DI FI is as anti as they come and is trying to foist California style gun control down all of our throats. She is the reason we have the AW ban.

The real shame of this is that she was catipulted to power by the actions of a murderer. In the 1970's a guy named Dan White went into San Francisco City Hall and murdered the Mayer and a Supervisor. As I recall, Dan was an employee who had been fired by one or both of those people he killed. He took a .44 mag and shot Mayer Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk as they sit at their desks. Some people justified Dan's actions because the rumor was that Supervisor Milk was gay and therefore deserved to die. No one deserves to be judged or treated like by his fellow man.

Anyway, the murder left a vacancy on the SF city council and Mayorship. DI FI got herself promoted to Mayor of SF. The rest is history. The next thing you know she is running for Governor. She lost. Now she is US Senator which may even be worse. I don't think she would be where she was without the actions of that murdering scum bag Dan White.

BTW, Dan White got 5 years in jail for 2 cold blooded murders. He claimed he was out of his mind due to all the junk food he ate. They call it the "Twinkie Defense" to this day. He got out of prison after his 5 yerars and committed suicide a year or so later. At least he had the guts to do that.

DI FI blames her aversion to guns on what she saw of Danny boy White's work. Thus the birth of an avid anti gunner, at least for us peons. She still has her carry permit.

She needs to be defeated next time she runs for anything.

 

[foghornl]

All you have to do is look at the sponsors on this bill to know what it is.

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. CORZINE, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. DURBIN, and Mr. LEVIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance


I sort of vaguely remember the "Twinkie Defense" murder case, but didn't remember that's how DiFi really climbed to power.

So why didn't she use her CCW permit and weapon to put a stop to Mr. White's murderrous rampage?

Probably hidng under her desk. Baaaaaaaaaa

 

[Delmar]

what does she need a gun for anyway-that face would knock a buzzard off a honey wagon!

 

[50 Shooter]

I knew someone would get this link, I messed up, it was the Model 90 Barrett.

http://www.senate.gov/~feinstein/exempted_guns.html

This is so you'll know which of your guns meet her approval.

 

[Ewok]

Dan White was an ex-cop and ex-firefighter (and all-around loser) who resigned his position as supervisor, then decided he wanted to un-resign. He used a 5-shot .38 special, not a .44 mag. IIRC, the eating too many twinkies was cited as a symptom of his depression, not the cause. He committed suicide about a year after being released from prison.

 

[jimpeel]

I guess we'll just have to restamp all .50 cal weapons and ammo to .4999 cal.

 

[Elmer Snerd]

Maybe they could develop a .50 caliber rimfire, pinfire, or electrically ignited round. Or just manufacture cases with an ever-so-slightly-off-center primer...

http://keepandbeararms.com/information/XcIBViewItem.asp?ID=2762

 

[Monkeyleg]

Here are the Republican members of the finance committee:
CHARLES GRASSLEY, IA (Chairman)
ORRIN G. HATCH, UT
DON NICKLES, OK
TRENT LOTT, MS
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, ME
JON KYL, AZ
CRAIG THOMAS, WY
RICK SANTORUM, PA
BILL FRIST, TN
GORDON SMITH, OR
JIM BUNNING, KY

And the Democrats:

MAX BAUCUS, MT
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, WV
TOM DASCHLE, SD
JOHN BREAUX, LA
KENT CONRAD, ND
BOB GRAHAM, FL
JAMES M. JEFFORDS, VT
JEFF BINGAMAN, NM
JOHN F. KERRY, MA
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, AR

The best way to stop Feinstein is to stop this bill in committee. How's Grassley on guns?

 

[standingbear]

...

whats ok yesterday could very well be not ok tommorrow.these people will simply not quit until enough people get together and tell them all to just mind their own business instead of trying to tell everyone else what they can do.would be nice if progun people went together and tried passing bill after bill to counter each measure.maybe they would eventually get the point or grow senile and be committed.

 

[gun-fucious]

from 50 shooters list:
Hunting Guns and Other Recreational Weapons Exempted in the Legislation
Barret Model 90 Bolt-Action Rifle
McMillan M-86 Sniper Rifle
McMillan M-89 Sniper Rifle
McMillan Long Range Rifle

 

[Standing Wolf]

Feinswine is one of the reasons I left the People's Republic of California last year to return to the United States.

 

[Schuey2002]

People are always asking, " What's wrong with this country? And, how can we fix it??"

The Feinswine's of this world are one of reasons that this country
is going down the crapper...

Liberals!!

 

[twoblink]

Let's send Feinstein to Iraq, to sell her idea to the troops. Have her sell her idea to Iraq!

You hear that Iraq? If you don't comply, we are going to send you Feinstein and leave her there!!

 

[Bruce H]

Seven keys of coke and let these dandys deal with the DEA.

 

[TexasVet]

What about re-enactors???

As I read this the .50-70 Sharps in the safe is now going to be a banned "sniper weapon" Is she really that stupid??? Nevermind, don't answer that, I know.:banghead: