Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 11, 1990 TAG: 9006110197
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A=6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The U. S. Senate, wallowing in wimpiness, has shown no inclination yet to stand up to the NRA. Or should it be NUA - for National UZI Association?
The legislation would add to the list of already banned assault weapons. As usual, the NRA claims the weapons are designed for sport - the same as semiautomatic hunting rifles. But as Baltimore County Police Chief Cornelius J. Behan puts it, "No one needs these death machines with their immense firepower for hunting or target shooting. Their only purpose is as antipersonnel weapons - to kill vast numbers, quickly."
The crime package is now snarled in a procedural net because the Senate failed twice this week to muster enough votes to limit debate and start filtering through more than 300 proposed amendments.
The net was cast by the NRA with the kind of intense lobbying campaign that has long been its trademark. Its massive membership throughout the country was galvanized to make inflammatory attacks on legislators who gave the slightest indication they might vote for the bill. Blistering letters were written; scripts were provided for NRA members to read from when they called senators' offices; members stormtrooped through the halls of Congress.
Both of Virginia's senators, Republican John Warner and Democrat Charles Robb, were raked over the coals in letters the NRA sent to its Virginia membership. To their credit, Warner and Robb had the backbone to vote to cut off debate anyway - hoping the Senate might get to the merits of the legislation.
By Thursday night, some were pronouncing the anti-crime bill dead. But a few senators were absent when the two votes were taken to impose closure (limiting debate). There yet may be a chance to save the legislation next week when the senators are expected to be back in their seats.
The effort should be made. There is the possibility, of course, that in the amending process the Senate will shape a dreadful bill that deserves to be killed. But the NRA, which has seen its lobbying clout wane in recent years and is trying to make a comeback, should not be allowed to manipulate Congress to thwart the public interest.
by CNB