Responses from a Senator & Congressman

[Langenator]

Yesterday I sent e-mails urging an end to the AWB to my Congressman (Adam Smith-D, 9th District, WA), my Senators (Murray and Cantwell, both Dems), as well as George Nethercutt, GOP Congressman from the 5th District who is running against Murray in November. I got responses from Rep Smith and Senator Cantwell today.

Rep. Smith's reply is moderately encouraging. He at least seems open to listen to information from our side. He is a Democrat, but his district includes Ft Lewis and a big chunk of rural territory (Roy, Yelm, Tenino) as well as the home of the biggest gun show in the state (Puyallup). I will definitely be taking my time and making sure the letters I send him are solid.

Senator Cantwell is, alas, a complete loss. She'll still get letters, just so she knows she's being watched.

Rep. Smith's response:

Thank you for contacting me regarding Assault Weapons Ban and Law
Enforcement Protection Act of 2003, HR 2038. I appreciate you taking the
time to share your thoughts and concerns with me on this important
matter.

As you know, this legislation was introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy
(D-NY) on May 8, 2003 and would reauthorize the assault weapons ban.
The original ban was passed into law in 1994 and is set to expire at the
end of this year.

I do have a problem with the definition of a semi-automatic weapon as
specified in this bill. I believe the way this legislation is written
it could potentially limit the availability of weapons that look
dangerous but actually serve a vital self-defense or hunting purpose.
Therefore my concern is how to draw the line between the weapons that are
actually dangerous and those that just appear menacing.

Clearly there are semi automatic weapons that are dangerous and should
not be available for purchase by every citizen (such as military
weapons). The important task before us is to keep these kinds of weapons out
of the hands of dangerous individuals.

My first goal in this matter is to find the balance between ensuring
the safety of our citizens while ensuring freedom guaranteed under the
Second Amendment. My ultimate goal is to limit the availability of the
dangerous weapons.

At this point in the debate, I am still researching both sides of this
issue. If you have any information you would like to pass along on
this matter I will be more than happy to take a look at it. For your
knowledge, HR 2038 is currently awaiting review before the House Committee
on the Judiciary. If this legislation comes to the House floor for a
vote, I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind.

Again, I want to thank you for contacting me on this important matter.
If you have any additional questions, comments or concerns, please do
not hesitate to contact me.
Adam Smith
Member of Congress

-------------------------

Sen. Cantwell:

Thank you for contacting me to express your views on the assault
weapons ban. I appreciate hearing your concerns about gun control and
understand how strongly you feel about the right to bear arms.

You should know that I take our Constitution very seriously. It is a
most fundamental goal for me as your Senator to work to uphold the
rights guaranteed by our founding document. Furthermore, I know that
recreational use and collection of guns for hunting, sport, and other
activities is extremely important to you and many other law-abiding
Washingtonians.

Just as I am committed to protecting Second Amendment rights, I believe
you would agree with my long-standing conviction that we must keep guns
out of the hands of criminals and children. I believe that the Assault
Weapons Ban has been a tool that has aided efforts to keep uniquely
dangerous weapons out of the wrong hands. The Assault Weapons Ban
prohibits the sale of 19 semiautomatic assault weapons and the production of
ammunition clips that hold more than ten rounds. As you may know,
President Bush supports reauthorizing the ban, as do all major law
enforcement organization in the country. I look forward to working in a
bipartisan way to maintain this common sense gun law.

As your Senator, you can be assured that I will work to protect the
legitimate rights of law-abiding American gun-owners, while continuing to
support responsible gun control legislation to reduce crime and make
our communities safer. I believe both of these goals are important and
can be simultaneously accomplished through common-sense gun laws and
stricter enforcement of existing laws.

Again, thank you for contacting me on this important issue. Please do
not hesitate to contact me again on this or any other issue.
Sincerely,

Maria Cantwell
United States Senator

 

[Lone_Gunman]

We are going to be screwed over on the AWB, I truly believe, and it will be the Republicans who do it.

I received a very troubling response from Senator Saxby Chambliss. He is a Republican from Georgia, with an NRA "A" rating. He said he would take my view (of letting the AWB die) into consideration, and knew a renewal might impact "sportsmen".

He just doesn't get it. Its not about sportsmen, its about the Constitution!

When the media blitz starts, the Republicans will cave one by one on this issue.

Over 65% of gun owners support renewal of the ban. Do you really think Congress is going to go against the majority of people, and really let the AWB die?

 

[TheEgg]

As your Senator, you can be assured that I will work to protect the
legitimate rights of law-abiding American gun-owners

SOOOOOO, only some of our rights under the constitution are legitimate and some are not, and YOU bucko will decide which are which?

Do these people ever hear themselves and think about what they are saying?

:banghead: :banghead:

 

[ksnecktieman]

Smith and Cantwell both look like anti gunners trying to keep quiet to me. Note they both want to keep "just the evil guns" out of the hands of "just the undesirables". In my opinion that is in favor of gun control. I think another letter to them is indicated, asking what guns are undesirable in their opinion and who are the undesirable owners.

 

[OF]

That response from Smith sounds promising. Are you going to follow up with some data for him?

- Gabe

 

[Smoke]

The Hon. Mr. Smith sounds pretty dang anti to me:

Therefore my concern is how to draw the line between the weapons that are actually dangerous and those that just appear menacing.

Clearly there are semi automatic weapons that are dangerous and should
not be available for purchase by every citizen (such as military
weapons). The important task before us is to keep these kinds of weapons out of the hands of dangerous individuals.

My ultimate goal is to limit the availability of the
dangerous weapons.

 

[Langenator]

My next piece of correspondence with Rep Smith will explain that what he calls military weapons are controlled by other laws, not the AWB. These laws include the 1934 NFA, and the one (whose name I can't recall) from 1986 which prohibited the manufacture or importation of new full auto weapons. And, of courrse, let him know that semi-autos are, with a few notable exceptions (L1A1) not modern military weapons.

That will be followed by another letter explaining the implications of US v Miller, and why the "AWB" is really the Militia Weapon Ban.

 

[pytron]

Langenator -

I apologize in advance if this seems to be personal, but believe me it is not. It is just a pet peeve I have with this method of rebutting gun-banners.

Instead of focusing on the difference between auto and semi-auto, why don't you harp on the fact that ALL GUNS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE DANGEROUS. It is not the gun, but the criminal who pulls the trigger. Why should criminals obey this law--they already break others?

By comparing full-auto restrictions to the AWB you are saying that the full-auto restrictions are okay, but these other restrictions are not. If you take the other tack and point out that all weapons can be dangerous if abused you are not supporting the full-auto restrictions and I think it's a much easier way to say it. You can still point out how little AWs are used and how it is a cosmetic ban.

If we (as gunowners) say it's okay to restrict full-auto, then why should anyone believe us when we say it's not okay to restrict some other class of weaponry.

-Pytron