Sen. Boxer calls for tougher federal gun laws in wake of Arizona shooting
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) on Tuesday called for tougher federal gun laws, including banning large ammunition clips and federal regulations on concealed weapons permits, in the wake of the shooting rampage in Tucson that killed six and left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) gravely wounded.
Boxer, appearing at a press conference in Riverside, said the Federal Bureau of Investigation also should keep track of seriously mentally ill people with a history of violence to ensure they cannot secure gun permits. The accused Arizona gunman, Jared Lee Loughner, had a history of odd mental behavior and was prone to incoherent rants, authorities and acquaintances said.
"I believe we should look at sensible gun laws again. The kind of gun laws we have here in California that give people their gun ownership rights while also preventing the sale of guns to criminals, to people with serious mental illness and people who may abuse a spouse or partner,'' said Boxer, who traveled to Riverside from her home in Rancho Mirage.
"Now I'm not saying that these sensible gun laws would have stopped this killer, but I do know this: It should not be easy for a killer to obtain a weapon that could kill or wound 20 people in just a few heartbeats, and stop those heartbeats,'' Boxer said.
Boxer said Congress should consider reinstating the federal assault weapons ban which expired in 2004. The law banned ammunition clips that hold more than 10 bullets. Boxer said she will support a proposal by Democratic New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg to ban high-capacity clips such as the 33-round clip that authorities said was attached to Loughner's semiautomatic handgun.
The senator also wants to federalize California's laws on concealed weapons permits, which require approval from local sheriff's or police chiefs and require applicants to explain why the weapons permit is necessary. States that fail to adopt those restrictions should lose federal funding for criminal justice programs, she said.
During the morning news conference, Boxer also called on Congress, the media and the nation as a whole to temper the caustic political rhetoric that's consumed most of the country. As an example, she held up a mock "Liberal Hunting License" that recently was sold on a right-leaning website that showed a donkey –- the symbol of the Democratic party –- with five bullet holes in its torso.
Boxer called on members of Congress from all parties to meet on a more regular basis to help end the partisan rancor. She said that the women in the Senate already do so, with great success.
"We need to rethink what we're saying and the emotions that we may be evoking,'' Boxer said.
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-- Phil Willon in Riverside
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Boxer says: "I do know this: It should not be easy for a killer to obtain a weapon that could kill or wound 20 people in just a few heartbeats, and stop those heartbeats,'' Say what? Hey, Babs, "killers" can't get guns now. You presistent idiot. Babs is just vomiting up her usual meaningless left wing crap.
Posted by: Sorker | January 16, 2011 at 08:43 PM
Stricker gun laws will not stop crazy people from doing what happened in Arizona. Do you really think that gun was leagal?Leagal gun owners respect the weapon and learn proper ways of handling. If gun laws for leagal owners didn't restrict us from carrying anywhere like public gatherings than someone might have seen what was about to happen and put that gunman down. We should be allowed to carry anywhere. after all we were fingerprinted and had our backrounds checked. Did he? the LEO'S do there best but they can't do it all. I know that I can unholster and fire my gun in about 2.5 seconds. this might have saved some of the victums. Senator Boxer it is not us that you need to fear. It is the criminals who will get guns anyway even with tougher gun laws. They got booze during prohibition and will get guns and drugs today. If you really want to do something useful. execute more of these crazies in every state. Stop leaving them on death row for 10-15 years. They are killers that my taxes keep aive. My method is to give them 1 year to appeal. If they can't give them the needle which is more humane than there victums got. For all of you anti gun people I have this to say "If guns kill people than pencils make spelling errors. cars drive drunk and a fork makes people fat". Be responsable for your own actions. Lighten up on us leagal gun owners. You just might be grateful one day if your in trouble and one of us saves you or your family.
Posted by: John V Pelosa | January 25, 2011 at 01:15 AM
Typical gun-grabber trickery. They are talking about "banning" 33-round mags, which serious shooters don't want and don't use, but the bills they are drafting would knock out all mags holding eleven rounds or more, which would eliminate probably half of the handguns made in the last decade. You can't trust the grabbers--they pull things like this all the time.
Posted by: Lou Gots | January 30, 2011 at 03:34 PM
gee, I wonder if her bodyguard carries a gun???
Posted by: glenn grab | January 30, 2011 at 05:35 PM
the fbi should keep track of boxer, she obviously is mentally ill.
Posted by: kuruc | January 30, 2011 at 07:40 PM
It's not going to make any difference whether you do anything in regards to the gun law. You'll still have criminals, illegal invaders, drug runners, terrorists, etc. So when they have guns and we don't, then what do we do?
Posted by: phoenix39 | January 31, 2011 at 07:35 AM
A polititian will propose that we don't sell guns to criminals. Nothing has been proposed for a ban on granting welfare checks to illegal immigrant parents of anchor babies, or their employment in the US. Americans have always needed jobs.
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Posted by: Federal Firearms License Guide | March 01, 2011 at 11:47 PM