Quotes & amp;amp; Notes

by Inlander Staff


"Administrative Proceedings" -- A bill introduced last month by Idaho Sen. Larry Craig would ban "administrative proceedings" against gun manufacturers or sellers. That's the name of the method used by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to regulate the gun industry. Congress is expected to take up the issue soon. If passed, the law would make gun sellers immune from having their licenses revoked, and, unlike other industries, gun manufacturers would be exempt from lawsuits. That is, unless it can be proven that sellers or manufacturers "knowingly" broke the law.





24 Hours -- That's how long the government keeps its records on gun-buyers' background checks, due to a law signed by President Bush in January 2004. Critics say this law makes it essentially impossible ever to prove that a gun seller "knowingly" broke the law.





1 Percent -- According to the ATF, only 1 percent of gun dealers are responsible for nearly 60 percent of the guns used in crimes.





36 -- That's how many individuals on the government's terrorist watch-list have bought guns legally in the United States, according to a just-released report from the Government Accountability Office.


"We ought to look at what can be done to perhaps modify the law to limit that person's access to a weapon," FBI Director Robert Mueller told a House panel on why suspected terrorists are not barred from buying guns here.


"In other countries, e.g., some states of USA, South Africa, it is perfectly legal for members of the public to own certain types of firearms. If you live in such a country, obtain an assault rifle legally, preferably AK-47 or variations..."


That's what the translated version of How Can I Train Myself for Jihad manual -- found in safe houses in Kabul, Afghanistan -- has to say on the subject.





.50 Caliber -- That's the size of a new rifle now available for purchase; it's accurate from a mile away and can knock an airplane or helicopter out of the sky.


Then there's the innovative FN Herstal Five-Seven, the first handgun able to penetrate body armor used by law enforcement.


And when President Bush and Congress allowed the assault weapons ban to end in September, it did more than limit the availability of certain makes of guns. It also lifted the limit on the size of ammunition clips that can be sold. Under that lapsed law, ammunition clips holding more than 10 rounds were illegal.





Publication date: 03/31/04