Gun Bill Caught in Crossfire -- GOPUSA

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Gun Bill Caught in Crossfire
By Monisha Bansal
CNSNews.com Correspondent
July 27, 2005

(CNSNews.com) -- Four Democratic senators announced their opposition Tuesday to a measure that would shield gun manufacturers, dealers, distributors and trade associations from most lawsuits, including ones already in court brought by shooting victims and municipalities.

Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (S. 397) is a diversion from the $491 billion Defense Authorization Act, which the Senate Tuesday decided to delay a vote on until the fall in lieu of Senate action on the gun bill.

"This bill would set a disturbing precedent by giving a single industry broad immunity from civil liability, depriving even victims with legitimate cases of their day in court," Reed said on the Senate floor Monday.

"The only reason it is coming to the floor, in a time of war to interrupt the debate on the Defense Authorization bill is that members are feeling pressure from the gun lobby," Reed added.

Reed joined Durbin, Lautenberg, and Boxer in urging the Senate to focus instead on approving appropriations for the armed forces.

Dan Whiting, spokesman for Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), who sponsored the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, defended the legislation, saying it would only protect any gun manufacturer or dealer who legally conducted business.

"These frivolous lawsuits were threatening this small, but important industry," Whiting told Cybercast News Service.

When he introduced the bill in February, Craig criticized "these outrageous lawsuits." The lawsuits, he said, are an attempt "to hold a law-abiding industry responsible for the acts of criminals" and "are a threat to jobs and the economy, jeopardize the exercise of constitutionally protected freedoms, undermine national security, and circumvent Congress and state legislatures.

"They must be stopped," Craig added.

The bill's co-sponsor, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), said he and Craig are "long-time" Second Amendment supporters. "It's important that we protect our law-abiding citizens and not allow frivolous lawsuits to take place."

Whiting noted that no court has ruled for the plaintiff in lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

Andrew Arulenandam, director of public affairs for the National Rifle Association, dismissed Reed's claim that the bill would provide broad immunity.

"Those are just red herrings, nothing could be farther from the truth. Lawsuits can still be filed. What has happened is those manufacturers and retailers who are innocent cannot be maliciously targeted by the gun control lobby for political benefit," Arulenandam told Cybercast News Service.