Gun Control Bills Split Up in Committee, NRA President Says “the Tide is Turning”
OutdoorHub Reporters 02.27.13
National Rifle Association (NRA) President David Keene told conservative listeners at a New York meeting that the future of the gun debate will be “a very rough and very ugly battle.” But, according to Business Insider, Keene also believes that the majority of the proposed gun control bills do not have enough support to be passed. One of the most pressing is the new “assault weapons” ban put forward by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), which along with three related bills will be reviewed in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
Instead of considering the four bills as a whole, the Huffington Post reports that lawmakers are thinking of reviewing the proposals separately. The bills are:
- Senator Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) “assault weapons” and “high-capacity” magazine ban
- Senator Patrick Leahy’s (D-VT) illegal gun-trafficking statute
- Senator Barbara Boxer’s (D-CA) school safety bill
- Senator Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) “universal background check” legislation
The move to consider the bills separately is thought by experts to minimize the effect the “assault weapons” ban would have on the other proposals. Although expected to pass the committee, the ban is not expected to do as well on the Senate floor. This way, the other three bills will not be dragged down if the ban does poorly.
“I think we hit a snag, there is no doubt about it,” said former Americans for Gun Safety policy director Jim Kessler. “I know that there are real differences between the parties on this. But it is definitely too early to throw in the towel. They agree on a lot. And there still may be some way to figure it out.”
The NRA is also allocating resources to fight state level gun legislation, such as the recent SAFE Act passed in New York, while the national debate heads for an eventual showdown. Keene reiterates his promise that all Americans’ Second Amendment rights will be protected in court if necessary.
