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H.R.2640 - NICS Improvement Act Passes |
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Wednesday, 19 December 2007 |
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Update: The House has approved the Senate version of the bill and it is on its way to the White House. From the Firearms Coalition: The U.S. Senate today voted to pass their version of the NRA supported NICS Improvement Act (H.R.2640). The bill now must go back to the House to resolve differences between the versions passed in the two bodies.NRA, NSSF, and the Brady Bunch are calling Senate passage a victory, while GOA, many grassroots gun groups, and the more radical gun control organizations like the Violence Policy Center are calling the bill a sell-out. These groups opposed to the bill are calling for in-depth hearings on the bill to be held in the House. When this bill originally passed in the House, it did so on a voice vote with only one Representative speaking against its passage or reportedly voting against it; that one Representative was Dr. Ron Paul of Texas.There will doubtless be much said about this bill over the next few days and it will be interesting to watch. While gun rights groups have taken to calling the bill the "Veterans Disarmament Act" and anti-gun forces claim it will open a flood-gate of mentally challenged people regaining access to firearms, the truth is that, like so many bills passed in Washington, this bill wastes a lot of money to little effect.We'll keep you posted as the political drama unfolds and more information becomes available.
Yours for the Second Amendment,
Jeff Knox
Director of Operations
The Firearms CoalitionFrom the NSSF: The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association of the firearms industry, welcomes the passage of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Improvement Act of 2007 in the U.S. Senate earlier today. The legislation requires federal agencies to provide relevant data for use in the NICS system, a database that stores the names of individuals prohibited by federal law from purchasing or possessing firearms. Under the legislation states would either be rewarded for providing appropriate mental health records to NICS or penalized for refusing to turn over such data. The NICS Improvement Act does not expand the definition of who is a prohibited person. Anyone who can legally purchase a firearm today can still do so under this legislation.The legislation is supported by the firearms industry for several reasons, including that it will help to ensure that those individuals whom are deemed untrustworthy of possessing a firearm are unable to purchase firearms. The bill also will allow for individuals who are now unfairly prohibited from owning guns to appeal their prohibition and have their Second Amendment rights restored. This is currently not possible, and tens of thousands of Americans of sound mind, including many veterans, are permanently barred without due process from possessing firearms. NSSF has long supported an instant background check on firearms purchases -- support which predates that of any other group, including the nation's most radical gun ban organizations. NSSF will continue to monitor this legislation as it moves into conference and oppose any changes -- should they occur -- that would adversely affect law-abiding citizens.
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Does this affect Lautenberg?
Written by cnolan1225 on 2007-12-21 22:15:28
Will this allow persons prohibited from owning firearms under the Lautenberg Amendment to appeal also? |
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