Reckless Lawsuit Preemption
Continues to Build Momentum
|
"...[T]hese reckless
lawsuits threaten billions of dollars in commerce..." |
|
Senator Miller addresses
NRA's Annual Banquet
in Reno
|
Senator Craig
|
S. 2268, the Senate version of reckless lawsuit preemption, is rapidly
gaining support. This bill, along with the House companion (H.R. 2037),
seeks to block politically-motivated lawsuits that attempt to hold
law-abiding gun makers liable for the criminal misuse of their products.
Last week, five Senators had signed their names to S. 2268 - introduced by
U.S. Senators Larry Craig
(R-Id.) and Zell Miller (D-Ga.)
- but thanks to
the encouragement of NRA members and the pro-gun community, a total of
13 Senators have now signed on. This is excellent progress, but the
bill still needs more support. The House companion already has more
than half of that chamber's members signed on as co-sponsors (227), and
has progressed through subcommittee, so our focus has shifted to
recruiting more support for the Senate bill.
Please contact your U.S.
Senators at (202) 224-3121 to urge them to co-sponsor this critical
legislation. Those on the Internet can find additional contact
information by using our "Write Your
Reps" tool at
NRAILA.org.
As for the House bill, H.R. 2037, we reported last week that the U.S.
House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection approved it
by voice vote. During last week's subcommittee meeting - the process that
follows hearings and which is referred to as the "markup" session - U.S.
Representative Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) introduced substitute language to
H.R. 2037. Stearns, who originally introduced the bill with
Representative Chris John (D-La.), offered his substitute to address the
"negligent entrustment" issue. Stearns' language makes it clear that no
protection is provided for a person if he supplies a firearm or
ammunition to a person who the seller "knows or should know the person
to whom the product is supplied is likely to use the product, and in
fact does use the product, in a manner involving unreasonable risk of
physical injury to himself and others."
During his opening statement, Rep. John pointed out that these reckless
lawsuits threaten billions of dollars in commerce. He went further and
explained that those who depend on gun manufacturers for jobs could be
seriously harmed by these lawsuits, pointing out that lifestyles and
livelihoods in Louisiana and across the nation are threatened by the
suits. Rep. John also cautioned that if these baseless suits are
allowed to continue, every industry in America could be attacked in a
similarly baseless way.
Related Stories...
More About Federal Issues
|
|
