10/31/2005

Congressional Quarterly: "For Gun Control Advocates, a Losing  Streak in Congress"

ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU QUIT?  For Gun Control
Advocates, a Losing Streak in Congress

     By Daphne Retter, Congressional Quarterly Staff
     CQ Today
     October 19, 2005

     Congress may decide in conference to ease District of
Columbia gun restrictions (H.R. 3058).  The House will
vote Wednesday on shielding gunmakers from liability suits
(S. 397).  And last year, Congress let the assault weapons
ban (P.L. 103-322) expire.

     It's enough to make a gun-control advocate quit.

     "It's not an easy job to get up every day and duke it out
with the gun lobby," Michael Barnes, president and CEO of
the Brady Campaign and Brady Center to Prevent Gun
Violence, said Tuesday, "but it's very important."

     Barnes resigned this week.

     He conceded that his side of the gun debate is faring
poorly on Capitol Hill, but said that's not the whole lobbying
picture.  "In many states throughout the country, things are
moving in our direction," he said.


I would like to thank Jack Anderson very much for sending
this to me.