HOUSE SENDS "PINK SLIP" TO SMITH & WESSON
(Senate support for gun control continues slipping)

Friday May 19, 2000 - 
     The shootout is over; the dust is now settling. But the "bullet holes" are probably still visible in Capitol Hill chambers. This week was quite contentious in Washington, as opposing sides on the gun debate clashed sharply.  There is a lot of good news to report, and for starters, Gun Owners of America would like to thank all the activists who contacted their Congressmen this week.  Your activism is tremendously helpful.

House votes to bar favoritism toward Smith & Wesson:

     The Washington Post today reported, "The House voted (Thursday) to bar the Defense Department from giving Smith & Wesson preferential treatment in government contracts, part of a new effort to block the Clinton administration from rewarding gun manufacturers that adopt new (so-called) safety measures."

     The House victory was huge, and anti-gun Democrats are fuming.  But gun owners should be thankful to Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) who has become a sort of "guided missile," seeking to destroy every vestige of gun control that Bill Clinton has foisted recently upon the nation.

     Last week, he forced a committee vote on his amendment to bar favoritism towards any company (like S&W) that enters a gun control pact with the Clinton administration.  The D.O.D. authorization bill passed yesterday on the floor of the House, with the Hostettler amendment intact.

Support For Anti-gun Crime Bill Continues To Slip In The Senate Due To Grassroots Activism:

     The Senate narrowly voted for gun control on Wednesday, but the anti-gun Democrats should be worried.  Their majority is slipping terribly.  

     The Senate barely passed a non-binding resolution both praising the Gun Control Moms for their march on Sunday and asking the House-Senate conferees to report the juvenile crime bill out of the conference committee before the Memorial Day weekend.  The "sense of the Senate" resolution passed on a 50-49 vote.

     Gun owners should note that the juvenile crime bill originally passed with 73 votes last May.  It seems that the constant beatings which GOA activists have applied on Senators -- especially those up for reelection -- are taking their toll.  

     All Democrats voted in favor of the anti-gun resolution, except for Sen. Dodd of CT who missed the vote entirely.  Republicans who voted anti-gun were Senators Chafee (RI), DeWine (OH), Fitzgerald (IL), Jeffords (VT), Lugar (IN) and Warner (VA).  

     On Wednesday, the Senate also passed another non-binding resolution offered by Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) which called for more aggressive enforcement of existing anti-gun laws, tougher penalties for gun-related crimes and protection for the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

     Both Senate votes can be viewed at www.gunowners.org on GOA's website.

(Article supplied by The Gun Owners Of America)