GOA Vote Report For Sen. John McCain — 108th Congress

Ammunition Restriction Study. Senators Larry Craig (R-ID) and Bill Frist (R-TN) offered this amendment to S. 1805. Among other things, the language of this provision would commission the Attorney General to determine whether the ban on so-called “cop killer” ammunition should include superior performance bullets in popular hunting calibers such as the 30-06. The amendment passed the Senate 85-12 on March 2, 2004.

  1. McCain Gun Show Ban. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) offered a gun show amendment (to S. 1805) on March 2, 2004. His language would outlaw the private sale of firearms at gun shows, unless the buyer agrees to submit to a background registration check. Also, it could effectively eliminate gun shows because every member of an organization sponsoring a gun show could be imprisoned if the organization fails to notify each and every “person who attends the special firearms event of the requirements [under the Brady Law].” Thus, if the person responsible for handing out “Brady pamphlets” took a break to go to the bathroom, everyone responsible for the event could be sent to prison. The McCain amendment passed the Senate by a vote of 53-47.
  2. Feinstein Semi-auto Ban. On March 2, 2004, the Senate voted 52-47 in favor of the amendment offered by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). This amendment would extend the ban that was signed into law by President Clinton in 1994 — a ban which outlaws certain magazines and more than 180 semi-automatic firearms. Without this legislative extension, the ban would sunset in September 2004. The Feinstein amendment passed as an amendment to S. 1805.
  3. Lock Up Your Safety Requirement . This amendment, offered by Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) on February 26, 2004, passed the Senate 70-27. This amendment would require all handgun purchasers to pay an implicit “gun tax” by requiring them to buy a trigger lock when they purchase their handgun, irrespective of need. In addition, the amendment would create a broad and implicit cause of action against gun owners who fail to actually use the storage device to lock up their firearms. Of course, a locked gun then becomes unavailable for self-defense. The Kohl amendment passed as an amendment to S. 1805.

KEY: + Pro-gun,  Anti-gun,  NV Not voting


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