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Opposing the Gun Manufacturers Liability Protection Act |
| WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel released the following statement as submitted to the Congressional Record on Thursday, October 20, 2005. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to S. 397, the Gun Manufacturers Liability Protection Act. Shielding gun manufacturers, dealers and distributors from liability is one of the most egregious forms of corporate welfare we’ve considered in this House all year. This is George Orwell legislation at its finest - all industries are equal, but some are more equal than others. If you sell beer to a 17 year old and he causes an accident, you can be held liable. But if you allow a 17 year old to walk out of your store with a high powered rifle, don’t worry. Congress has your back. Mr. Chairman, this is not a hypothetical case. Last year the families of DC sniper victims settled for $2.5 million with Bull’s Eye Shooter Supply and Bushmaster Firearms, because Bull’s Eye allowed Lee Boyd Malvo to shoplift a military quality rifle – one of 233 guns they could not account for when investigated by the ATF. Some of my colleagues call this a frivolous lawsuit. I don’t think there is anything frivolous about 233 missing guns. In July of this year we gift wrapped a provision in the Medical Malpractice Bill that shielded the pharmaceutical industry from liability on any drug that made it through the regular FDA approval process. Coincidentally, Merck Pharmaceuticals was at the same time facing multiple lawsuits tied to its misrepresentation of the dangers of the prescription drug Vioxx. Thanks to this Congress, Americans can continue to exercise their Constitutional right to seek redress in the court system, unless it involves guns or drugs. I am gratified to see that this bill does include certain common-sense provisions such as child safety locks and a ban on armor-piercing bullets. We fought hard for these ideas in the Clinton Administration and I urge my colleagues to resist any pressure to have them removed. Despite my support for these ideas I must vote no on the overall bill. Mr. Chairman, this bill denies Americans one of their most basic rights in order to provide special protections for a very special interest. I urge my colleagues to resist the gun lobby and defeat this bill. |
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