"Senate Moves to Shield Gun Industry"

[GreenPartyVoter]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate on Tuesday put off until fall completing a $491 billion defense bill to act this week on the National Rifle Association's top priority: shielding gun manufacturers and dealers from liability suits stemming from gun crimes.

On a 66-32 test vote, the Senate indicated there's plenty of support for Republican leaders' determination to pass the gun bill before lawmakers leave at the end of this week for a monthlong vacation.

"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 form the gun lobby," said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.

Congress was on the way to passing the bill last year when the NRA abruptly asked its chief sponsor, Sen. Larry Craig, R-, R-Idaho, to withdraw it after gun opponents succeeded in amending it to extend an expiring ban on assault weapons. A pickup of four GOP Senate seats in last November's election emboldened gun rights supporters to try again, confident they can block reimposing restrictions on assault-type weapons.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20050727/D8BJJG600.html

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. kick

[unhappycamper]

2. Wonderful. An AK-47 or a .50 caliber weapon in every pot. n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Whaddagreatcountry!!

[MrBenchley]

4. Love what Barbara Boxer said to Bill Frist on the Senate Floor

"Do you really think this is more important than the Defense Appropriations Bill?"

It's the GOP in a nutshell: "Fuck the troops we put in harm's way, but support the criminals who armed the Beltway Sniper."