Assault Weapons In Transit Could Enter U.S.
Legislative proposal would exempt 600,000 guns from Clinton order
WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, April 29) -- A proposed amendment to a
supplemental spending bill would allow into the U.S. 600,000 assault weapons banned by President Bill Clinton April 6, CNN has learned. The legislation covers weapons which were "detained at the U.S. border under suspended permits on or before April 6, 1998."
The legislation contends the administration's action "will put many of this country's importers out of business as a result of wrongly interpreting the 'sporting purposes' test in a narrow and obstructive manner."
White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry said Wednesday the president would veto the spending bill if the amendment is attached.
"It is a matter of fairness," the legislation says. "The U.S. importers of those firearms and ammunition had no prior notice from the government of the president's action suspending permits on November 14, 1997. The current situation constitutes a taking of the importers' private property."
The document is intended to give "immediate relief" to importers whose weapons were already "produced, contracted for, paid for, en route but not yet received."
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