Optimism Remains High for Legal Reform

When the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, commonly referred to as S.659 and, later, S.1805, finally appeared ready for a Senate vote in early March, optimism was dampened by political reality. The bill had overwhelmingly passed in the House of Representatives with a bipartisan show of support, and had pledges of similar support from a majority of senators.

The President, too, had pledged his support, promising to sign the bill and asking the Senate to pass a "clean" bill, unencumbered with contentious amendments. It was the delivery of a clean bill, however, that seemed to face a roadblock. Some senators sabotaged the bill, which would have protected the firearms industry from liability in the criminal misuse of its products.

Extension of the assault-weapons ban and gun show background checks turned out to be the "poison pill" amendments tacked on to the bill, clouding the simple message of tort reform the original legislation intended. Not wanting to compromise the integrity of the legislation, firearm interests encouraged defeat of the bill, and the legislation was scuttled. "This is a temporary setback, but we remain optimistic for the ultimate passage of this critical common-sense legislation," said Lawrence G.

Keane, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) vice president and general counsel. "We are disappointed that a handful of sponsors of the bill voted in favor of poisonpill amendments when the President encouraged a clean bill.

We call upon Congress to find away to deliver a clean bill to the President’s desk." Keane says the temporary setback underscores the need for the industry to remain fully engaged in the political process and to maximize the momentum generated by efforts such as the "March to Victory," the Heritage Fund-supported campaign that produced 20,000 signed postcards in support of the bill from SHOT Show participants.

Getting the legislation back on track will require an intensified voter education program. "We intend to let the voters know how their senators voted on the poison pill amendments," Keane said. "They permitted opponents to turn a vital legal-reform bill into a debate about gun control at the expense of jobs and our industry." Typically, a major piece of legislation takes years to reach the floor of Congress, but the speed with which this legislation has progressed is a reflection of the merits of the legislation and the lobbying efforts of the industry, Keane said. "We must remain committed," Keane said. "The fight is not over." Editor Keith Lawrence Technical