Senate Bill 1431

Senate Bill 1431 is the single biggest threat to the Constitution currently in the Senate. It is labeled the `Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2003'. I encourage you to go read it for yourself.

Senate Bill 1431:

extends the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban.
redefines what a 'semiautomatic assault weapon' (SAW) is to include all 'post-ban' firearms plus many more greatly expanding the pool of firearms no longer available to the general public.
makes all firearms 'substantially similar' to SAWs to be SAWs also.
makes all semiautomatic shotguns into SAWs, as all designs are derivative works of military/police firearms.
makes private transfers of SAWs illegal.
makes repair of existing guns illegal by preventing parts availability.
empowers the Attorney General to define new SAWs that would then be illegal for further consumer manufacture.
makes transfer of any large capacity magazines illegal, even to family members.
plus more.

Now, if you are still comfortable, recognize that this has to do with a lot more than just AR-15s, Colt Match Target Rifles or any of the other black rifles. According to the bill:

Section SEC. 2; (H) (ii) and (b)(42): "The term 'pistol grip' means a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip."

So, it appears that any semiautomatic long gun with a grip may be declared a SAW. Every gun produced has a way to grip it.

In addition, the Attorney General decides what guns are SAWs. If a firearm is used by the military or law enforcement, there is a presumption that it is an SAW. Then all derivative firearms become SAWs under the sweeping definition.

If this were not enough, by empowering the Attorney General as this law does, Congress codifies the concept that the Second Amendment only covers 'sporting arms'. Additionally, our Second Amendment rights will now be interpreted by a political appointee. Do you want a Janet Reno deciding what guns you can and can not have?

This bill is currently sitting in the Judiciary Committee. John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Charles Schumer and ten others are all cosponsors of this bill. If enacted, it has no automatic expiration date.

The 1994 Clinton Assault Weapon Ban

The 1994 Assault Weapon Ban is well defined at www.ClintonGunBan.com.

Knowledge is power. Check it out.

S1431

What the NRA says.

What the GOA says about 3/4s of the way down.

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