Sportsmen for Obama? - Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms

Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms

Tuesday, 09 January 2007

Barack Obama was outspoken in his opposition to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. Gunmakers may get suit-proof vest in the Chicago Tribune is quoted in its entirety on Obama's site.

Obama's mention:

Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), the bill's chief advocate, has said that if gun manufacturers aren't protected, they may go out of business, forcing the military to buy its weapons abroad.

Other supporters have said that problems stem from the people using the guns, not the people making or selling them.

"The misuse of a gun is not caused by a manufacturer of a gun, it is caused by the person misusing the gun," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas). "The Senate is taking steps in every area we can to curb this litigiousness."

But Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) said he is not worried about frivolous lawsuits, and is not aware of gun retailers going out of business in Arkansas.

Nonetheless, Pryor supports the measure, explaining, "I think it's unfair for gun manufacturers to be held liable just for manufacturing their product."

Those arguments did little to assuage Democrats incensed by the legislation. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), who led the opposition, called questions about the military obtaining American-made guns "total nonsense."

"The Army buys a great deal of its guns from overseas already because they prefer the guns," said Reed, a West Point graduate, who noted that the Army had replaced the Colt .45 with the Beretta, which is made in Italy, as its standard-issue sidearm.

Democrats also complained that the legislation would deny a voice to people who have been injured and have no other way to seek redress other than to file a lawsuit.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who has taught law at the University of Chicago, said the courts have done a good job of handling, and disposing of, the suits that have been filed. And, he said, gun manufacturers and dealers are not going bankrupt from those cases.

"There is no crisis," Obama said. "Guns are plentiful. We have multiple guns for every man, woman and child in this country."

Obama went on to vote seven times against gun rights when voting on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and its amendments.

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