crystalphoto
Well-Known Fanatic
Here is an email I got from Lindsey Graham today, keeping us up to date... though I don't agree with everything he does, he is at least putting forth an effort...
March 14, 2013
Dear Friends,
As a supporter of the Second Amendment I wanted to bring you up-to-date on recent efforts at gun control in the Senate Judiciary Committee of which I am a member. Here is a rundown of the gun control legislation the committee has debated and voted on.
Feinstein Assault Weapons Ban -- I voted NO.
(Passed committee 10-8 and now goes to the full Senate)
The assault weapons ban didn't work then. It won't work now. I oppose it.
Schumer 'Universal' Background Checks -- I voted NO.
(Passed committee 10-8 and now goes to the full Senate)
In 2010 we had over 13,000 fugitives from justice fail federal gun purchase background checks. Nearly 2,000 convicted felons actually ended up receiving a gun due to delays in the system. How many of those individuals were prosecuted and found guilty? Only 13. Why expand the system if we aren't prosecuting those who already fail background checks?
I also have concerns that implementation of additional checks could -- whether intentional or not -- lead to a universal gun registry. I have strong objections to a national gun registry.
Leahy Gun Trafficking Regulations -- I voted NO.
(Passed committee 11-7 and now goes to the full Senate)
The legislation, as currently written, is vague, broad and could negatively impact law-abiding citizens. Among other things, it could regulate the time-honored tradition of a father or mother buying a gun as a gift for their child.
Boxer Safety Enhancement Act -- I voted YES.
(Passed committee 14-4 and now goes to the full Senate)
The legislation does not directly affect gun control but does provide resources (i.e., metal detectors, surveillance equipment, and security training of personnel and students) to schools to prevent gun violence. I plan to offer an amendment on the Senate floor which will also make the funds available so schools, if they so choose, can hire armed police and resource officers.
On the Senate floor I also intend to push for a vote on my legislation, the NICS Reporting Improvement Act of 2013. It is supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and has strong bipartisan support in the Senate.
The legislation will close the gap in federal law which allowed an individual with a well-documented history of severe mental illness, including a plea in federal district court of 'Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity' to pass a gun background check and legally purchase a semi-automatic pistol.
The individual, Alice Boland, later took the loaded pistol to Ashley Hall School in Charleston where she aimed the gun at staff members and repeatedly pulled the trigger. Fortunately, the gun did not fire.
Many of the legislative proposals being mentioned in Washington are driven by politics and have been proven ineffective in the past. In an area this important, I want to put politics aside and find common-sense, effective solutions.
While I do not claim to know everything about gun violence, I do know that a common-sense solution does not involve limiting the Constitutional Rights of law-abiding citizens. Instead, we should focus on enforcing current law and keeping guns out of the hands of those that shouldn?t have them.
Sincerely,
Lindsey O. Graham
United States Senator
March 14, 2013
Dear Friends,
As a supporter of the Second Amendment I wanted to bring you up-to-date on recent efforts at gun control in the Senate Judiciary Committee of which I am a member. Here is a rundown of the gun control legislation the committee has debated and voted on.
Feinstein Assault Weapons Ban -- I voted NO.
(Passed committee 10-8 and now goes to the full Senate)
The assault weapons ban didn't work then. It won't work now. I oppose it.
Schumer 'Universal' Background Checks -- I voted NO.
(Passed committee 10-8 and now goes to the full Senate)
In 2010 we had over 13,000 fugitives from justice fail federal gun purchase background checks. Nearly 2,000 convicted felons actually ended up receiving a gun due to delays in the system. How many of those individuals were prosecuted and found guilty? Only 13. Why expand the system if we aren't prosecuting those who already fail background checks?
I also have concerns that implementation of additional checks could -- whether intentional or not -- lead to a universal gun registry. I have strong objections to a national gun registry.
Leahy Gun Trafficking Regulations -- I voted NO.
(Passed committee 11-7 and now goes to the full Senate)
The legislation, as currently written, is vague, broad and could negatively impact law-abiding citizens. Among other things, it could regulate the time-honored tradition of a father or mother buying a gun as a gift for their child.
Boxer Safety Enhancement Act -- I voted YES.
(Passed committee 14-4 and now goes to the full Senate)
The legislation does not directly affect gun control but does provide resources (i.e., metal detectors, surveillance equipment, and security training of personnel and students) to schools to prevent gun violence. I plan to offer an amendment on the Senate floor which will also make the funds available so schools, if they so choose, can hire armed police and resource officers.
On the Senate floor I also intend to push for a vote on my legislation, the NICS Reporting Improvement Act of 2013. It is supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and has strong bipartisan support in the Senate.
The legislation will close the gap in federal law which allowed an individual with a well-documented history of severe mental illness, including a plea in federal district court of 'Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity' to pass a gun background check and legally purchase a semi-automatic pistol.
The individual, Alice Boland, later took the loaded pistol to Ashley Hall School in Charleston where she aimed the gun at staff members and repeatedly pulled the trigger. Fortunately, the gun did not fire.
Many of the legislative proposals being mentioned in Washington are driven by politics and have been proven ineffective in the past. In an area this important, I want to put politics aside and find common-sense, effective solutions.
While I do not claim to know everything about gun violence, I do know that a common-sense solution does not involve limiting the Constitutional Rights of law-abiding citizens. Instead, we should focus on enforcing current law and keeping guns out of the hands of those that shouldn?t have them.
Sincerely,
Lindsey O. Graham
United States Senator
