CCRKBA Calls House Vote a Victory for American Gun Owners' Civil Rights

29 July 2006

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) today praised the United States House of Representatives for its passage early this week of the proposed Disaster Personal Protection Act.

"We commend the House, and especially the House leadership, for bringing this measure to the floor and passing it with an overwhelming 322 - 99 bipartisan vote," said John M. Snyder, CCRKBA public affairs director.

The bill, H.R. 5013, introduced by Rep. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, would prohibit any agency using federal disaster relief funds from seizing firearms from law-abiding citizens in their cars, homes and businesses. The legislation would not prevent confiscating guns from convicted felons, and would have no effect on law enforcement operations outside of disaster relief situations. H.R. 5013 also would allow individuals to recover court costs and sue if their rights are violated.

The issue arose as a result of controversy associated with Hurricane Katrina. A number of reports indicated that some federal and state law enforcement agents confiscated guns from law-abiding New Orleans residents. A federal court's temporary restraining order brought a halt to the illegal gun confiscations.

"The House passage of H.R. 5013 puts the representatives on record as acting to clip the wings of over-zealous public officials," said Snyder. "The gun-grabbing officials and the 99 representatives who voted against H.R. 5013 apparently just don't get it. They don't understand that Americans need guns to protect themselves, their families and their property from predatory criminals. Especially predatory violent criminals. And most especially during times of public emergency.

"The House vote is a victory for the individual Second Amendment civil right of law-abiding American citizens to keep and bear arms. The bill now goes over to the Senate, where we hope it soon will be taken up, passed and sent to the White House for presidential action."

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Source: usnewswire

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