Rep. Goode Introduces Repeal Of Lautenberg Gun Ban
Gun Owners of America E-Mail/FAX Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 http://www.gunowners.org
(Tuesday, April 17, 2001) -- Rep. Virgil Goode (I-VA) has introduced
a bill, H.R. 1455, to repeal the onerous Lautenberg gun ban which
was signed into law in 1996 as part of the Treasury-Postal omnibus
appropriations bill. Many of you are new to the GOA Alert Network
and may not be familiar with this gun ban that was named after its
author, the former Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ).
This ban has disarmed people for life -- for offenses that include
pushing, shoving or, in some cases, even yelling at a family member.
The language of this lifetime gun ban is so expansive that
unsuspecting parents have been disarmed for simply using legitimate
corporal punishment.
Moreover, this lifetime gun ban can be imposed for mere
misdemeanors, and in certain circumstances, imposed without a trial
by jury. Many misdemeanors do not guarantee a jury trial, and the
law does not require that one must be tried by a jury before losing
his or her gun rights. Many offenders are now shocked to learn that
a minor infraction from their teenage years is preventing them from
owning a gun for life.
You can read some of the Lautenberg horror stories at http://www.gunowners.org/kldvtb.htm on the GOA website.
Finally, this ban contradicts the Second Amendment and finds no
constitutional authority whatsoever. As stated by Rep. Goode, the
Lautenberg gun ban "does not specifically deal with a subject
delegated to Congress under Article I, Section 8 of the U.S.
Constitution, and is therefore unconstitutional under the Tenth
Amendment as interpreted by United States vs. Lopez." And the
Lautenberg provision violates the constitutional ban on ex post
facto laws, since it disarms people for offenses committed in the
past.
ACTION: Please ask your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 1455. You
can use the pre-written letter below to help direct your comments to
Capitol Hill. Or, you can call your Representative at 877-762-8762
(toll free) or at 202-225-3121.
To write your Representative check out: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
----- Pre-written message -----
Dear Representative:
Rep. Virgil Goode has introduced H.R. 1455 to repeal the Lautenberg
gun ban. I urge you to sign on as an original cosponsor of this
bill.
This ban has disarmed people for life -- for offenses that include
pushing, shoving or, in some cases, even yelling at a family member.
The language of this lifetime gun ban is so expansive that
unsuspecting parents have been disarmed for simply using legitimate
corporal punishment.
Moreover, this lifetime gun ban can be imposed for mere
misdemeanors, and in certain circumstances, imposed without a trial
by jury.
The Lautenberg gun ban is a very dangerous infringement upon the
Second Amendment. Please cosponsor H.R. 1455 and let me know when
you have done so. Thank you.
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