CRS: Gun Control Legislation

[Marlin T]

Summary


Congress has debated the efficacy and constitutionality of federal regulation of firearms and ammunition, with strong advocates arguing for and against greater gun control. In the wake of the July 20, 2012, Aurora, CO, theater mass shooting, in which 12 people were shot to death and 58 wounded (7 of them critically) by a lone gunman, it is likely that there will be calls in the 112th Congress to reconsider a 1994 ban on semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices that expired in September 2004. There were similar calls to ban such feeding devices (see S. 436/H.R. 1781) following the January 8, 2011, Tucson, AZ, mass shooting, in which 6 people were killed and 14 wounded, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was grievously wounded. These calls could be amplified by the August 5, 2012, Sikh temple shooting in Milwaukee, WI, in which six worshipers were shot to death and three wounded by a lone gunman.


The 112th Congress continues to consider the implications of Operation Fast and Furious and allegations that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) mishandled that Phoenix, AZ-based gun trafficking investigation. On June 28, 2012, the House passed a resolution (H.Res. 711) citing Attorney General Eric Holder with contempt for his failure to produce additional, subpoenaed documents related to Operation Fast and Furious to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. On May 18, 2012, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013 (H.R. 4310), which would amend a limitation on the Secretary of Defense’s authority to regulate firearms privately held by members of the Armed Forces off-base. On May 10, 2012, the House passed a Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill (H.R. 5326) that would fund ATF for FY2013, and on April 19, 2012, the Senate Committee on Appropriations reported a similar bill (S. 2323).


On April 17, 2012, the House passed the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012 (H.R. 4089), a bill that would require agencies that manage federal public lands to facilitate access to and use of those lands for the purposes of recreational fishing, hunting, and shooting with certain exceptions set out in statute. Language to a similar effect was included in the FY2013 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (H.R. 6091), which the House Committee on Appropriations reported on July 10, 2012. On November 16, 2011, the House passed a bill (H.R. 822) that would establish a greater degree of reciprocity between states that issue concealed carry handgun permits. On October 11, 2011, the House passed a Veterans’ Benefits Act (H.R. 2349) that would prohibit the Department of Veterans Affairs from determining a beneficiary to be mentally incompetent for the purposes of gun control, unless such a determination were made by a judicial authority based upon a finding that the beneficiary posed a danger to himself or others. This report also includes discussion of other salient and recurring gun control issues that have generated past or current congressional interest. Those issues include (1) screening firearms background check applicants against terrorist watch lists, (2) combating gun trafficking and straw purchases, (3) reforming the regulation of federally licensed gun dealers, (4) requiring background checks for private firearms transfers at gun shows, (5) more-strictly regulating certain firearms previously defined in statute as “semiautomatic assault weapons,” and (6) banning or requiring the registration of certain long-range .50 caliber rifles, which are commonly referred to as “sniper” rifles. To set these and other emerging issues in context, this report provides basic firearms-related statistics, an overview of federal firearms law, and a summary of legislative action in the 111th and 112th Congresses.

[Marlin T]

Government report anticipates calls for gun control in Congress

By: David Codrea

The shootings in an Aurora, Colo., theater and the Sikh temple in Milwaukee, Wis., make it “likely that there will be calls in the 112th Congress to reconsider a 1994 ban on semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices,” a November 14, 2012 Congressional Research Service report on “Gun Control Legislation” obtained this morning by Gun Rights Examiner reveals.
That's hardly breaking news to those who monitor such things, but to see it coming out of an official report talking about a session that will end on January 3 of next year is indicative of a new-found confidence in the wake of the recent elections, and that's something to take note if.
The CRS reports are intended to advise Congress on issues, and are not officially posted online, a subject activists interested in keeping an eye on the horizon should work to rectify. The Open CRS website provides a collection of reports obtained through their channels and through reader submissions. While prior versions of CRS “Gun Control Legislation” reports are available there and on other websites, they do not yet include this report, now posted on this correspondent’s Scribd account (see link in first paragraph).

[45Auto]

Gosh them shure are scary stories! Got any about zombies?

[Double D]

Originally Posted by 45Auto

Gosh them shure are scary stories! Got any about zombies?

Typical liberal response. Your president and your nutjob liberal lunatic leaders are dying to take our guns away and are introducing legislation every single day to that effect. If it were not for the folks at the NRA-ILA and the GOA and others like them, they would already have succeeded. Whether or not these reports are completely accurate or not is a chilling reminder that we are facing an administration that has absolutely zero regard for our constitution and in a matter of months will be appointing another liberal nutjob to the supreme courts, putting our 2nd amendment in grave danger. So, continue to make your zombie comments if you want, we all know the real dangers we are facing anytime liberals are at the helm.

Originally Posted by Double D

Typical liberal response...

Liberal (mostly) here...and well-armed...and against high taxes...and as anti-gun control as you can get. And I'm far from the only one.

[Marlin T]

How can one vote (D) and still say that they are pro 2nd amendment?
A vote for a (D) says that 90 something percent you are voting AGAINST weapons, voting to have more restrictions and more laws.

[RunningOnMT]

Originally Posted by nosreme

Liberal (mostly) here...and well-armed...and against high taxes...and as anti-gun control as you can get. And I'm far from the only one.

Originally Posted by RunningOnMT

Attachment 70477

Liberal: Someone who can think for himself rather than just repeat slogans derived from Fox "News."

[RunningOnMT]

Oh s#*t...where do I begin? Nevermind, there's nothing I can say, because liberalism is a mental disorder, immune to logic. I have a feeling it's going to be a bumpy ride for one of us.

[Double D]

Originally Posted by nosreme

Liberal: Someone who can think for himself rather than just repeat slogans derived from Fox "News."

Hopefully, everyone here is smart enough to see the trap that was just set for an argument. After 35 years of debating liberals, I have concluded it is a complete waste of good time that will always end in the liberal side name calling due to not having any facts to back their arguments. So, if any of you folks want to waste your time, thats up to you, but to nosreme, I will give you a word of advice..you are on a privately owned, deeply conservative gun forum that has a 98% conservative membership. Walk softly......

[gvw3]

Why is it liberals always think they are so much smarter then everyone else?

[Double D]

Originally Posted by gvw3

Why is it liberals always think they are so much smarter then everyone else?

They "think" alot of things that arent true......

[acelungger]

Double D.,
I liked the way you took care of that!

[aa1911]

ha! you can spot 'em a mile away... that is, after I get done watching Fox news...

[aa1911]

This is an excellent read about how gun control DOES NOT WORK, while no one study is 100%, these guys pretty much nailed it.

whether you're pro or anti, strongly encourage all to give this a read, it reinforces everything I believe about firearms.

http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/...useronline.pdf

and we all know that criminals use .50 sniper rifles ALL the time, as well as bayonets and grenade launchers. What will we ever do!

[acelungger]

aa1911,
Yes, that is the fact, I did not read it all, but from what I have heard, that states that have C.C. crime went way down. I live in a dumb a$$ state that has only had C.C. for 4-5 years.

[aa1911]

and here is my essay I wrote for an english class I'm taking on the 2A and restoring constitutional gun rights

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/show...=1#post1031523