Lowey: Close Terrorist Loophole in Gun Laws
Guns-rights issue inflames House Appropriations meeting
By Erik Wasson - 07/13/11 12:56 PM ET
A heated gun-rights debate hijacked a House Appropriations Committee markup of a 2012 spending Justice Department bill Wednesday as the GOP defeated a Democratic attempt to limit gun purchases by suspected terrorists, and succeeded in inserting language to allow imports of more powerful types of shotguns.
The GOP said Democrats were violating the Constitution with an amendment sponsored by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) which would have given the attorney general the ability to deny a gun purchase or transfer to a known or suspected terrorist.
Lowey said the language was originally authored by Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) and would affect those on the terrorist watch and no-fly lists…
…Lowey said she was aghast that lawmakers would oppose giving Justice a few days to evaluate each gun buyer.
