Concessions to hunters win assault rifle ban
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 1994:
WASHINGTON D.C.––
The National Rifle Association took
the biggest defeat it has ever suffered
at the federal level in the House of
Representatives on May 5, as Indiana
Democrat Andrew Jacobs Jr. switched
his “no” vote to a “yes,” passing into
law a ban on 19 types of assault rifle,
which though backed by the Clinton
administration, had been expected to
fail by at least 15 votes.
Clinton bought the victory
with a string of concessions to the
hunting lobby. The assault rifle ban,
for instance, names 650 hunting
weapons and mandates that none shall
be outlawed during the 10 years the
assault rifle ban is to be in effect.
Another concenssion, pend-
ing, would allow states to regulate
bear-baiting on U.S. Forest Service
land. Bear-baiting is now banned on
Forest Service land as unethical and
dangerous, since it tends to lead bears
into proximity to people, but many
states allow baiting. Comments will
be accepted until June 13, c/o
Director, Wildlife, Fish & Rare Plants
(2640), Forest Service, USDA, POB
96090, Washington, DC 20090-6090.
