>From the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences lobbyist report:
> A Gun Bill, On the Fast Track: > At a time of partisanship, which has included crime policy, a surprise > bi-partisan bill will be introduced in the Senate on the hot button issue of gun > control. Similar legislation passed the House in 2002, and it appears this bill has > had its deals already worked out behind the scene. Co-sponsors include the most > passionate advocates from both sides, including pro gun Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) > and Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), a present and former NRA board member; and gun > control New York Democrats Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, whose > husband was shot by the Long Island subway killer. > Also on Board is Orrin Hatch, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sound > like a done deal? There wasn> '> t a hint of it, however, until the bill was about > to be dropped. In a 1993 gun control law, Congress created the national background > check data base. Gun buyers have to wait three days while their ID is checked for > felonies, spouse abuse, illegal immigrants, mental illness, and other disqualifying > factors; but the data base apparently is out of date and widely invalid. A study > had found that 10,000 convicted felons had cleared the check in recent years. > This bill could provide $1.1 billion to help states improve their data bases > for gun background checks, with penalties against states that fail to upgrade their > technology. That was the stick that brought Hatch in. This is an authorizing bill, > however, and when the appropriations process gets to it, in the present climate, the > money will likely be considerably less. Still, we should wonder, what> '> s going > on here! Crime policy legislation, although I argue is smoldering under the > surface, has been invisible for months. Why this and these strange political > bedfellows now? Your theories? > >
