H.R. 2038/S. 1431, introduced by Rep. Carolyn
McCarthy (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), does not just
"reenact" or "reauthorize" the 1994 Clinton Gun Ban--the federal
"assault weapon" law. It bans millions more guns and begins
backdoor registration of guns. All told, it's a giant step closer
to the goal stated by Clinton Gun Ban sponsor Sen. Dianne Feinstein
(D-Calif.) on CBS 60 Minutes--"If I could have gotten 51 votes
in the Senate of the United States for an outright ban, picking up
every one of them, Mr. and Mrs. America, turn them all in, I would
have done it." There is no 10-year sunset provision in
H.R.2038/S.1431. It permanently bans every gun banned by
the Clinton ban, and:
- Bans every gun made to comply with
the Clinton ban.
The Clinton ban dictated the kinds of grips,
stocks and attachments new guns can have. Manufacturers and gun
owners complied and new guns conform to the Clinton-Feinstein
requirements. H.R. 2038/S.1431 bans the new guns too.
- Bans guns exempted by name or type
under the Clinton ban.
Commonplace Ruger Mini 14s, Mini-30s,
Ranch Rifles, .30 Caliber Carbines, and fixed-magazine
semi-automatic center-fire rifles.
- Bans all semi-automatic
shotguns.
Bans Remington, Winchester, Beretta, Benelli, and
other shotguns commonly used for hunting, trap, skeet, sporting
clays, and self-defense. Bans them by banning their main
component, called the "receiver" (sec. 2(a)(30)(J)), and
bans them because they have "any characteristic that can
function as a grip"(sec. 2(H)(ii) and (b)(42)). Any
characteristic.
- Bans all detachable-magazine semi-automatic
rifles because they have "any characteristic that can
function as a grip." (sec.2(a)(30)(D)(iii) and (iv), and
(b)(41) and (42)). Any characteristic.
- Bans target shooting rifles.
Bans the
three centerfire rifles most popular for marksmanship
competitions: the Colt AR-15, the Springfield M1A and the M1
"Garand."
- Bans guns for self-defense.
Bans
any semi-automatic shotgun or rifle an Attorney General one
day claims isn't "sporting," even though the U.S. Constitution,
the constitutions of 44 states, and the laws of all 50 states
recognize the right to use guns for defense.
- Bans 65 named guns (the Clinton law
bans 19);
Bans semi-auto fixed-magazine pistols of over 10
rounds capacity; Bans frames, receivers, and parts used to
repair or refurbish guns; Bans importation of magazines
exempted by the Clinton ban; Bans selling a
legally-owned "assault weapon" with a magazine of over 10 rounds
capacity.
- Bans guns rarely used in crime. A fact
proven by every state and local law enforcement agency report, and
every DOJ felon survey on the subject. The
Congressionally-mandated study of the Clinton ban found that the
guns "were never used in more than a fraction of all gun
murders."
- Begins backdoor registration. Requires
private sales of banned guns, frames, and parts to be conducted through licensed dealers. Thus, the bill bans private sales and establishes de facto registration.
|