OK, go here:  

thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c108:4:./temp/~c108XAh7ca::

I just found this.   Its the "midnight" option in the House of Representatives and it is nasty.   Its been referred to the "rules" committee.   Pay attention, because this resolution if it gets 218 votes, has the potential to short  circuit the procedure for review of the AWBan renewal in the house.   This is not a chicken little post.   It can force the House to shit out an AWBan renewal in only TWO HOURS.   It also allows substitution of a much more draconian ban.  Read on.

Here's the text of this resolution, with my comments following:

Resolved, That, immediately upon the adoption of this resolution, the House shall without intervention of any point of order consider in the House the bill (H.R. 3831) to extend the sunset on the assault weapons ban for 10 years.

Looks to me like this refers to the "neutered" AWBan renewal that maintains only part of the ban.  This is of no moment, however, for the reasons that follow.  Do not be lulled into security, as this is just what they want.

The bill shall be considered as read for amendment.

First short-circuit in the process.   No pre-amendment debate.  Goes straight to the amendment process.

The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion...

Another major short circuit in the process.  Normally, you have to get a majority of votes on "previous question" before you actually vote on the bill.  This is where they vote to vote.  That needn't happen if this resolution passes.  

This is a major short circuit of the process becuase it allows a barely 218 member majority to "sneak" a vote in while people are out and about.  

... except: (1) one hour of debate on the bill equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Judiciary;...

Only an hour of debate allowed.   By contrast, I think there were at least two hours of debate on the AWBan bill in March in the Senate, and even more if you counted the time for amendments.

(2) an amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in the Congressional Record pursuant to clause 8 of rule XVIII, if offered by the Minority Leader or his designee, which shall be in order without intervention of any point of order (except those arising under clause 7 of rule XVI), shall be considered as read, and shall be separately debatable for one hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent;

Here's the REAL zinger.  This language means they can strike the entire bill and replace it with a complete substitute without going through the usual procedural processes.   This is a good way to catch unsuspecting folks off-guard.   Say you've got 30 representatives that are RINOs or "soft" on the 2nd amendment.  Their staffers tell them that the AWBan renewal deals only with the weapons themselves, and not magazines.  The RINOs think, well that sounds like a compromise, and makes a note to vote for the stinker.   Meanwhile, the Minority (Democratic) leader substitutes one of the more draconian measures under the procedure quoted above, and when the time comes for a vote, the RINO thinks "well, there couldn't have been any action, or I'd have heard about it" and votes AYE.  

and (3) one motion to recommit with or without instructions.

Purely procedural in nature.  


Now, to be sure, this sort of maneuver would require Republican complicity and therefore seems unlikely to succeed.    EXCEPT that Bush is the big unknown factor.   If he pushes, this gives them a slickly greased vehicle to get the sucker over to the RINOs in the senate (52 votes in favor of the AWBAN in March '04) in roughly TWO HOURS.

Just keep your eyes open, that's all I'm saying.  

And call the White House to make sure they hear us.

What are the phone numbers for congress and the white house?  Are they tacked somewhere?

ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=203989

Would be possible in a different congress...

The problem is that the Rules Committee is made up of perople who have as much taste for the ban as we do... So it will never move past them...

Ban = Dead

Bump The Tread. Let everyone know this could happen !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check this out.. These are the Rules Committee members--

www.house.gov/rules/rules_members.htm

THanks for that reference to House Rules Committe members:

Pryce, Ohio:   Solid RINO, supported AWBAN before.

Reynolds, New York... an as yet unknown quantity.  Sould be reliable pro-gun, but who knows.

Like I said.   This resolution needs Republican complicity (read:  GWBush makes the "call") to happen, but we all should be aware that they have a greased up and loaded mechanism to accomplish this procedurally right up to the eleventh hour.  

That's all I'm saying.  

We can't count on the process delays to save us if Bush flips.

BA-GAWK, BA-GAWK!

Do you hear the Chicken Littles cluckin?

Geez People...

D.
AZEX

A majority of House members don't want to touch the AWB with a ten foot pole. Make that a 20 foot pole.

They remember the lessons of 1994.

This is for all practical purposes a discharge petition to force the bill out of committee. If they have the votes to succeed with this motion then they also likely have the votes to pass it. However I am skeptical that they have the votes to pass it since why wait until there is no chance in hell it can pass in time?

Even Feinstein has announced the ban is dead and she has given up on it until next year. I think this is basically a "rally the voters" attempt.

In any case, I have called all of my Senators and Congressman. They are unanimous in the opinion that the ban is dead; but I called them again today just to thank them and remind them we are watching.