Die Gesetzesvorlage S. 397 (Immunitätsgewährung der US-Waffenproduzenten vor substanzlosen und ruinösen Zivilklagen) wurde am Freitag vom US-Senat mit einer Mehrheit von 65 Stimmen gebilligt. Nun muß dieser Vorlage nur noch das US-Repräsentantenhaus zustimmen (reine Formsache bei den dortigen Mehrheitsverhältnissen zugunsten der Republikaner), das aber erst Ende August aus der Sommerpause zurückkehrt.
Dieses Gesetz ist ein großer Sieg für die US-Legalwaffenszene, da Waffenhersteller bald nicht mehr mit völlig substanzlosen Klagen überzogen werden können, um sie in den Ruin zu treiben.
S 397 passes 65-31!
by MARY DALRYMPLE, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Friday to shield firearms manufacturers, dealers and importers from lawsuits brought by victims of gun crimes, a measure opponents said had been ordered up by the gun lobby.
The 65-31 vote passed a bill that supporters said protects the industry from financial disaster and bankruptcy caused by damage lawsuits.
"This bill says go after the criminal, don't go after the law-abiding gun manufacturer or the law-abiding gun seller," said bill sponsor Sen. Larry Craig (news, bio, voting record), R-Idaho.
But Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., and other opponents said the gun industry needs no such special protection. "This bill has one motivation — payback by the Bush administration and the Republican leadership of the Congress to the powerful special interest of the National Rifle Association," he said.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., yanked similar legislation from debate last year when Democrats successfully attached an extension of the ban on assault-style weapons and the NRA dropped its support.
Republicans picked up four more Senate seats in last November's election, emboldening gun rights supporters to try again.
The House passed a similar bill last year but has taken no action on it this year.
Democrats won inclusion this year of a new requirement that each handgun be sold with a separate child safety or locking device, unless purchased by government officials or police officers. Any violation could be punished by the suspension of a dealer's license, a $10,000 fine, or both.
Craig said the bill does not block gunmakers and dealers from facing product liability, negligence or breach of contract suits.
Its opponents, however, say the bill effectively exempts gun manufacturers from liability. They also say dealers sometimes let weapons get into the hands of people the law says shouldn't have them.
Democrats tried and lost attempts to insert special provisions in the legislation that would let children and police retain the right to sue, along with another amendment that would have let individuals but not municipalities retain the right to sue.
"Should those whose actions lead to the death or injury of a child get a free pass?" asked Sen. Frank Lautenberg (news, bio, voting record), D-N.J., who sponsored one amendment.
Supporters of the liability bill said the changes would have gutted the bill.
The Senate also brushed aside a Kennedy amendment that would have banned hollow-tipped, so-called "cop killer" bullets.
The gun industry gave 88 percent of its campaign contributions, or $1.2 million, to Republicans in the 2004 election cycle. Gun control advocates, meanwhile, gave 98 percent of their contributions, or $93,700, to Democrats during that election, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
So haben die US-Senatoren abgestimmt:
Alabama: Sessions (R-AL), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Alaska: Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Arizona: Kyl (R-AZ), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea
Arkansas: Lincoln (D-AR), Yea Pryor (D-AR), Yea
California: Boxer (D-CA), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Not Voting
Colorado: Allard (R-CO), Yea Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Connecticut: Dodd (D-CT), Nay Lieberman (D-CT), Nay
Delaware: Biden (D-DE), Nay Carper (D-DE), Nay
Florida: Martinez (R-FL), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Georgia: Chambliss (R-GA), Yea Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Hawaii: Akaka (D-HI), Nay Inouye (D-HI), Nay
Idaho: Craig (R-ID), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Yea
Illinois: Durbin (D-IL), Nay Obama (D-IL), Nay
Indiana: Bayh (D-IN), Nay Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Iowa: Grassley (R-IA), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Kansas: Brownback (R-KS), Yea Roberts (R-KS), Not Voting
Kentucky: Bunning (R-KY), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Louisiana: Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Maine: Collins (R-ME), Yea Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Maryland: Mikulski (D-MD), Nay Sarbanes (D-MD), Nay
Massachusetts: Kennedy (D-MA), Nay Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Michigan: Levin (D-MI), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Nay
Minnesota: Coleman (R-MN), Yea Dayton (D-MN), Nay
Mississippi: Cochran (R-MS), Yea Lott (R-MS), Yea
Missouri: Bond (R-MO), Yea Talent (R-MO), Yea
Montana: Baucus (D-MT), Yea Burns (R-MT), Yea
Nebraska: Hagel (R-NE), Yea Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Nevada: Ensign (R-NV), Yea Reid (D-NV), Yea
New Hampshire: Gregg (R-NH), Yea Sununu (R-NH), Not Voting
New Jersey: Corzine (D-NJ), Nay Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay
New Mexico: Bingaman (D-NM), Nay Domenici (R-NM), Yea
New York: Clinton (D-NY), Nay Schumer (D-NY), Nay
North Carolina: Burr (R-NC), Yea Dole (R-NC), Yea
North Dakota: Conrad (D-ND), Yea Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Ohio: DeWine (R-OH), Nay Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Oklahoma: Coburn (R-OK), Yea Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Oregon: Smith (R-OR), Not Voting Wyden (D-OR), Nay
Pennsylvania: Santorum (R-PA), Yea Specter (R-PA), Yea
Rhode Island: Chafee (R-RI), Nay Reed (D-RI), Nay
South Carolina: DeMint (R-SC), Yea Graham (R-SC), Yea
South Dakota: Johnson (D-SD), Yea Thune (R-SD), Yea
Tennessee: Alexander (R-TN), Yea Frist (R-TN), Yea
Texas: Cornyn (R-TX), Yea Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Utah: Bennett (R-UT), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Vermont: Jeffords (I-VT), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Nay
Virginia: Allen (R-VA), Yea Warner (R-VA), Yea
Washington: Cantwell (D-WA), Nay Murray (D-WA), Nay
West Virginia: Byrd (D-WV), Yea Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Wisconsin: Feingold (D-WI), Nay Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Wyoming: Enzi (R-WY), Yea Thomas (R-WY), Yea
Interessant ist, daß in eher ländlich geprägten Bundesstaaten auch einige Demokratischen Senatoren mit "Ja" gestimmt hatten! Die hatten sicher Angst vor dem Zorn ihrer Wähler!!!
Andererseits gab es auch zwei Verräter bei den Republikanern: Die berüchtigten RINOs Lincoln Chaffee (Rhode Island) und Mike DeWine (Ohio)! :evil:
Seltsam auch, daß einige Republikaner sich der Stimme enthielten: Smith (OR), Sununu (NH) und Roberts (KS). Auch die @§$%*+~-Lady aus California - Dianne Feinstein - zog es vor sich nicht an der Abstimmung zu beteiligen!
Die üblichen üblen Verdächtigen der DemocRATS stimmten natürlich wieder mal mit "Nein"! So z.B. Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy (der "Ehrenmann", der besoffen seine Freundin totgefahren hatte), der gescheiterte Möchtegern-Präsi John Kerry, Chuck Schumer und Frank Lautenberg. :puke:
Nun können unsere US-Freunde endlich wieder mal feiern! 8)
GRUß