Feinstein Seeking Vehicle for Ban Renewal
by Joseph P. Tartaro
Executive Editor
White hat cowboys aren’t the only ones who ride horses. The black hats throughout history have relied on horses to get where they are going.
And right now, the black hats of the anti-gun movement are looking for a horse to ride in their quest for a renewal of the Clinton gun ban, which is scheduled to sunset on Sept. 13.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), original Senate sponsor of the “assault weapon” ban in 1994, has filed S-2498, a measure to renew the gun and large-capacity magazine ban. However, to get her bill to a vote she has to offer it as a “rider” to another measure that is likely to get a vote. While she has said that she would use any horse available—S-2062, legislation to reform class action lawsuits has been mentioned—it appears Feinstein is still shopping for a horse. Chuck Cunningham, director of federal affairs for the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, reminded Gun Week that Feinstein is in favor of class action reform, making that horse unlikely.
However, time is running short for Feinstein and friends. Congress is due to recess for the summer from July 26 to Sept. 6, and the Democratic National Convention in Boston, MA, begins July 26. While Feinstein would still have a few days in September before the ban expires, and the rest of the session to keep trying, the Senate is the likely first arena for any such important showdown. The House hasn’t indicated an interest in tackling such an issue and House rules won’t allow the kind of amendments that the Senate rules allow.
Back in March, when the antis offered a renewal and expansion of the gun ban as an amendment to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms act, they narrowly won the vote 52-47. Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and John Edwards (D-NC) returned to Washington to vote for the measure. The Democrats’ presidential slate also voted for an amendment to kill off gun shows (53-46). The amended bill was later defeated because of those amendments, but Feinstein, Kerry, Edwards and other anti-gunners showed they might be able to do it.
Now they are desperately trying again. In the House, Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE) has filed a House companion to Feinstein’s ban renewal. His bill is HR-3831.
But the antis aren’t just relying on these votes. They keep putting pressure on the White House to encourage House and Senate leaders to allow floor votes on the ban renewal.
No matter what happens, the ban will be an issue in this fall’s presidential and congressional campaigns, Feinstein said in an interview with The Modesto (CA) Bee.
“The American people favor the ban, but we need a Democrat in the White House and a Democratic House and Senate to make it happen,” said Feinstein, who is backing the Kerry-Edwards slate in November. Curiously, Sen. John Warner (R-VA) is co-sponsoring Feinstein’s legislation to renew the ban for another 10 years.
Bush, who has expressed support for the ban, could get it renewed by telling GOP congressional leaders to act before Sept. 13, Feinstein said. “But this fellow in the White House now won’t lift a hand,” she said in attempting to put more pressure on Bush.
According to several reports, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), as well as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), has said they would put the gun ban extension on the floor for a vote if Bush makes that request. As always, constituent input at the White House as well as Congress may decide the issue.
Former Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton urged Bush to make renewal of the ban a priority in a joint June 14 letter.
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