2008 Presidential Candidates on: Gun Control

[EMUJeff]

In an attempt to help us all become more informed citizens in regards to the upcoming November 4th, 2008 Presidential election and with the start of the general campaign upon us I will present some threads on specific topics. They will include some quotations with sources. These are chosen from the non-partisan group ontheissues.org. In each of the 24 threads one issue will be highlighted with a rotating order of candidate presentation for the major candidates nominated by parties or expected to have impact on the election. Wherever possible, we will quote the candidate over time so any changes in opinion are notable.
At this time they include Senator John McCain (Republican), Senator Barack Obama (Democrat), Representative Bob Barr (Libertarian), Cynthia McKinney (Green), Ralph Nader (Independent), and any other candidate who is registered in enough states to carry a majority of the Electoral college (Alan Keyes on the Constitution Party ticket may be eligible later as the party is in 14 states and counting).
This thread's topic: Gun Control
EMUJeff

[EMUJeff]

Representative Bob Barr

Here are some of the candidate’s voting records where the main topic of the legislation was foreign policy...

Voted YES on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1.

Vote to pass a bill requiring anyone who purchases a gun at a gun show to go through an instant background check which must be completed within 24 hours .
Reference: Bill introduced by McCollum, R-FL; Bill HR 2122 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c106:H.R.2122:) ; vote number 1999-244 (http://www.ontheissues.org/HouseVote/Party_1999-244.htm) on Jun 18, 1999
Sponsored bill banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

Barr sponsored against lawsuits against gun manufacturers

[I]OnTheIssues.org explanation: This bill is a response to the success of tobacco lawsuits, which resulted in cigarette manufacturers paying billions to compensate for the long-term negative health effects of tobacco use. Gun manufacturers grew concerned that the same sort of lawsuit would be applied to guns.
OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY:

To prohibit civil liability actions against manufacturers or distributors of firearms or ammunition for damages resulting from the misuse of their products by others.
Requires dismissal of any such action that is pending on the date of this Act's enactment
Specifies exceptions with respect to actions against persons who transfer a firearm knowing that it will be used to commit a crime of violence.

EXCERPTS FROM CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS: The Congress finds the following:
Citizens have a right, under the Second Amendment, to keep and bear arms.
Lawsuits have been commenced against manufacturers & dealers of nondefective firearms, which seek money damages for the harm caused by the misuse of firearms by third parties, including criminals.
The sale and use of firearms and ammunition is heavily regulated.
Businesses that are engaged in commerce of firearms or ammunition are not, and should not be, liable for the harm caused by those who unlawfully misuse firearm products.
The possibility of imposing liability on an entire industry for harm that is the sole responsibility of others is an abuse of the legal system.
The liability actions commenced are based on theories without foundation in hundreds of years of the common law and American jurisprudence.
An expansion of liability would constitute a deprivation of the rights guaranteed to citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution.
LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary; never called for a House vote.
Source: Firearms Heritage Protection Act (H.R.123) 01-HR0123 (http://www.ontheissues.org/Notebook/Note_01-HR0123.htm) on Jan 3, 2001

[EMUJeff]

Ralph Nader

Support Brady Bill & thoughtful gun control

Nader supports the Green Party Platform, which states:We support the ‘Brady Bill’ and thoughtful, carefully considered GUN CONTROL.
Source: Green Party Platform, as ratified at the National Convention Jun 25, 2000
Supports trigger locks, licensing, & banning some guns


Some people are killed or injured with guns and some law-abiding people want to use guns for self-defense. How do you blend the two?
Make sure the weapons are designed safely with trigger locks.
Strong law enforcement so that they’re not falling into the hands of criminals.
Look at a weapon the way you look at a car. You’ve got to know how to handle it. You should be licensed.
There are certain weapons that should be banned.
If you do all that, both interests will be protected.
Source: Rocky Mountain News, “Nader Q and A” Jun 24, 2000 This candidate has no voting record as he was never in the House or Senate.

[EMUJeff]

Senator Barack Obama

Ok for states & cities to determine local gun laws

Q: Is the D.C. law prohibiting ownership of handguns consistent with an individual's right to bear arms?

A: As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can't constrain the exercise of that right, in the same way that we have a right to private property but local governments can establish zoning ordinances that determine how you can use it.
Q: But do you still favor the registration & licensing of guns?
A: I think we can provide common-sense approaches to the issue of illegal guns that are ending up on the streets. We can make sure that criminals don't have guns in their hands. We can make certain that those who are mentally deranged are not getting a hold of handguns. We can trace guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers that may be selling to straw purchasers and dumping them on the streets. Source: 2008 Philadelphia primary debate, on eve of PA primary (http://www.ontheissues.org/2008_Dems_Philly.htm) Apr 16, 2008
FactCheck: Yes, Obama endorsed Illinois handgun ban

Obama was being misleading when he denied that his handwriting had been on a document endorsing a state ban on the sale and possession of handguns in Illinois. Obama responded, "No, my writing wasn't on that particular questionnaire. As I said, I have never favored an all-out ban on handguns."

Actually, Obama's writing was on the 1996 document, which was filed when Obama was running for the Illinois state Senate. A Chicago nonprofit, Independent Voters of Illinois, had this question, and Obama took hard line:
35. Do you support state legislation to:
a. ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns? Yes.
b. ban assault weapons? Yes.
c. mandatory waiting periods and background checks? Yes.
Obama's campaign said, "Sen. Obama didn't fill out these state Senate questionnaires--a staffer did--and there are several answers that didn't reflect his views then or now. He may have jotted some notes on the front page of the questionnaire, but some answers didn't reflect his views." Source: FactCheck.org analysis of 2008 Philadelphia primary debate (http://www.ontheissues.org/2008_Dems_Philly.htm) Apr 16, 2008
Respect 2nd Amendment, but local gun bans ok

Q: You said recently, "I have no intention of taking away folks' guns." But you support the D.C. handgun ban, and you've said that it's constitutional. How do you reconcile those two positions?

A: Because I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of handgun ownership and gun ownership generally. And a lot of law-abiding citizens use it for hunting, for sportsmanship, and for protecting their families. We also have a violence on the streets that is the result of illegal handgun usage. And so I think there is nothing wrong with a community saying we are going to take those illegal handguns off the streets. And cracking down on the various loopholes that exist in terms of background checks for children, the mentally ill. We can have reasonable, thoughtful gun control measure that I think respect the Second Amendment and people's traditions. Source: 2008 Politico pre-Potomac Primary interview (http://www.ontheissues.org/2008_Politico.htm) Feb 11, 2008
Provide some common-sense enforcement on gun licensing

Q: When you were in the state senate, you talked about licensing and registering gun owners. Would you do that as president?

A: I don't think that we can get that done. But what we can do is to provide just some common-sense enforcement. The efforts by law enforcement to obtain the information required to trace back guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers. As president, I intend to make it happen. We essentially have two realities, when it comes to guns, in this country. You've got the tradition of lawful gun ownership. It is very important for many Americans to be able to hunt, fish, take their kids out, teach them how to shoot. Then you've got the reality of 34 Chicago public school students who get shot down on the streets of Chicago. We can reconcile those two realities by making sure the Second Amendment is respected and that people are able to lawfully own guns, but that we also start cracking down on the kinds of abuses of firearms that we see on the streets. Source: 2008 Democratic debate in Las Vegas (http://www.ontheissues.org/2008_Dems_Las_Vegas.htm) Jan 15, 2008
2000: cosponsored bill to limit purchases to 1 gun per month

Obama sought moderate gun control measures, such as a 2000 bill he cosponsored to limit handgun purchases to one per month (it did not pass). He voted against letting people violate local weapons bans in cases of self-defense, but also voted in2004 to let retired police officers carry concealed handguns.
Source: The Improbable Quest, by John K. Wilson, p.148 Oct 30, 2007
Concealed carry OK for retired police officers

Obama voted for a bill in the Illinois senate that allowed retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons. If there was any issue on which Obama rarely deviated, it was gun control. He was the most strident candidate when it came to enforcin and expanding gun control laws. So this vote jumped out as inconsistent.

When I queried him about the vote, he said, "I didn't find that [vote] surprising. I am consistently on record and will continue to be on record as opposing concealed carry. This was a narrow exception in an exceptional circumstance where a retired police officer might find himself vulnerable as a consequence of the work he has previously done--and had been trained extensively in the proper use of firearms."
It wasn't until a few weeks later that another theory came forward about the uncharacteristic vote. Obama was battling with his GOP opponent to win the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. Source: From Promise to Power, by David Mendell, p.250-251 (http://www.ontheissues.org/Promise_to_Power.htm) Aug 14, 2007
Stop unscrupulous gun dealers dumping guns in cities

Q: How would you address gun violence that continues to be the #1 cause of death among African-American men?

A: You know, when the massacre happened at Virginia Tech, I think all of us were grief stricken and shocked by the carnage. But in this year alone, in Chicago, we've had 34 Chicago public school students gunned down and killed. And for the most part, there has been silence. We know what to do. We've got to enforce the gun laws that are on the books. We've got to make sure that unscrupulous gun dealers aren't loading up vans and dumping guns in our communities, because we know they're not made in our communities. There aren't any gun manufacturers here, right here in the middle of Detroit. But what we also have to do is to make sure that we change our politics so that we care just as much about those 30-some children in Chicago who've been shot as we do the children in Virginia Tech. That's a mindset that we have to have in the White House and we don't have it right now. Source: 2007 NAACP Presidential Primary Forum (http://www.ontheissues.org/2007_NAACP_Primary.htm) Jul 12, 2007
Keep guns out of inner cities--but also problem of morality

I believe in keeping guns out of our inner cities, and that our leaders must say so in the face of the gun manfuacturer's lobby. But I also believe that when a gangbanger shoots indiscriminately into a crowd because he feels someone disrespected him, we have a problem of morality. Not only do ew need to punish thatman for his crime, but we need to acknowledge that there's a hole in his heart, one that government programs alone may not be able to repair.
Source: The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, p.215 Oct 1, 2006
Bush erred in failing to renew assault weapons ban

KEYES: [to Obama]: I am a strong believer in the second amendment. The gun control mentality is ruthlessly absurd. It suggests that we should pass a law that prevents law abiding citizens from carrying weapons. You end up with a situation where the crook have all the guns and the law abiding citizens cannot defend themselves. I guess that's good enough for Senator Obama who voted against the bill that would have allowed homeowners to defend themselves if their homes were broken into.

OBAMA: Let's be honest. Mr. Keyes does not believe in common gun control measures like the assault weapons bill. Mr. Keyes does not believe in any limits from what I can tell with respect to the possession of guns, including assault weapons that have only one purpose, to kill people. I think it is a scandal that this president did not authorize a renewal of the assault weapons ban. Source: Illinois Senate Debate #3: Barack Obama vs. Alan Keyes Oct 21, 2004
Ban semi-automatics, and more possession restrictions


Principles that Obama supports on gun issues:
Ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms.
Source: 1998 IL State Legislative National Political Awareness Test Jul 2, 1998
Here are some of the candidate’s voting records where the main topic of the legislation was foreign policy...


Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

A bill to prohibit civil liability actions from being brought or continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition for damages, injunctive or other relief resulting from the misuse of their products by others. Voting YES would:

Exempt lawsuits brought against individuals who knowingly transfer a firearm that will be used to commit a violent or drug-trafficking crime
Exempt lawsuits against actions that result in death, physical injury or property damage due solely to a product defect
Call for the dismissal of all qualified civil liability actions pending on the date of enactment by the court in which the action was brought
Prohibit the manufacture, import, sale or delivery of armor piercing ammunition, and sets a minimum prison term of 15 years for violations
Require all licensed importers, manufacturers and dealers who engage in the transfer of handguns to provide secure gun storage or safety devices
Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S 397 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN397:) ; vote number 2005-219 (http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2005-219.htm) on Jul 29, 2005

[EMUJeff]

Senator John McCain

I know how to use guns; but I don't own one

Q: Tell us about your gun collection, roughly how many you own, what your favorite make, model and caliber is, if any of them require a tax stamp?

A: For a long time I used a lot of guns, including carrying a .45 as a pilot flying in combat over Vietnam. I know how to use guns. I don't own one now. Source: 2007 GOP YouTube debate in St. Petersburg, Florida Nov 28, 2007
Prosecute criminals, not citizens for gun ownership

John McCain believes that the right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right. We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law abiding citizens. Gun control is a proven failure in fighting crime. Law abiding citizens should not be asked to give up their rights because of criminals--criminals who ignore gun control laws anyway.
Source: Campaign website, www.johnmccain.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007
Don't hold gun manufacturers liable for crimes

John McCain opposes backdoor attempts to restrict Second Amendment rights by holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties using a firearm, and has voted to protect gun manufacturers from such inappropriate liability aimed at bankrupting the entire gun industry. McCain says, "Neither justice nor domestic peace are served by holding the innocent responsible for the acts of the criminal."
Source: Campaign website, www.johnmccain.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007
Opposes restrictions on assault weapons and ammunition types



McCain opposes restrictions on so-called "assault rifles" and voted consistently against such bans.
McCain opposes bans on the importation of certain types of ammunition magazines and has voted against such limitations.
McCain believes that banning ammunition is just another way to undermine Second Amendment rights. He voted against an amendment that would have banned many of the most commonly used hunting cartridges on the spurious grounds that they were "armor-piercing."
Source: Campaign website, www.johnmccain.com, "Issues" Sep 1, 2007
Calls for GOP "tolerance" of closing gun show loopholes

A recall petition drive was started in June 2001 by the Arizona far right. The petition complained that McCain was disloyal to the President, especially in voting against his tax bill, and it also complained about his proposal to close the gun show loophole. One form of the petition accused him of backing "dishonest and treasonist" legislation. Several of the petitions were posted at gun shops.

The NRA was particularly angry with him for its being included in his campaign finance reform bill, and for trying to tighten a loophole in the gun control laws. McCain himself was sufficiently concerned that he sent a 4-page, single-spaced letter to every GOP precinct leader in Arizona. He called for "greater tolerance" for Republicans "who occasionally dissent" from one or another majority position held by a party. He explained his vote against Bush's tax cut and talked about the need to build up national defense, about his work on the patients' bill of rights, and the gun show loophole. Source: Citizen McCain, by Elizabeth Drew, p. 78-79 (http://www.ontheissues.org/Ciitzen_McCain.htm) May 7, 2002
Ban cheap guns; require safety locks; for gun show checks

McCain favors outlawing cheaply made handguns called Saturday night specials, and favors mandating safety locks on certain guns. He said he is intrigued by new technology that electronically identifies a person handling a gun, allowing only the owner to fire it. McCain rallied Senate Republicans behind a Democratic measure requiring background checks at gun shows.
Source: Scott Lindlaw, Associated Press Aug 17, 1999
Supports ban on certain assault weapons

McCain said he was open to voting for an assault weapon ban, depending on the details.
Source: Los Angeles Times, “McCain Calls for Hearings” Aug 17, 1999
Voted against Brady Bill & assault weapon ban

McCain spoke generally of the need for some tighter gun controls on hardened criminals and children. In Congress, he pressured his colleagues to require background checks for buyers at guns shows, and he supported a requirement that trigger locks be sold with handguns. But the Senator opposed the two major gun-control measures of recent years, the 1994 ban on several types of assault weapons and the Brady Bill, which required a 5-day waiting period for handgun purchases.
Source: Todd S. Purdum, New York Times, p. A14 Aug 17, 1999
Guns are a problem, but so are violent web sites & videos

If you want to take every gun in and dump it in the ocean, I’ll still take you to a Web site where it teaches children how to build a pipe bomb. And I’ll take you to a Web site where the worst kind of hate language that is terribly offensive to all of us exists. I can take you to a video game being sold to our children where the object of the game is to kill police. I understand the importance of weapons, but to define that as being the major cause [of youth violence], there’s a whole lot of causes.
Source: Todd S. Purdum, New York Times, p. A14 Aug 17, 1999
Punish criminals who abuse 2nd Amendment rights

We need to focus on halting the spread of violent crime and punishing violent criminals who abuse their Second Amendment rights, while preserving those same rights for law-abiding Americans.
Source: www.mccain2000.com/ “Press Releases” May 10, 1999
Youth Violence Prevention Act restricts guns for kids

McCain has introduced the “Youth Violence Prevention Act.”
The legislation would:
prevent juveniles from illegal access to weapons and punish those who would assist them in doing so
prohibit juveniles who commit acts of gun violence from purchasing guns in the future
sentence juveniles convicted of violent crimes under adult guidelines
and punish juveniles who illegally carry or use handguns in schools.
Source: www.mccain2000.com/ “Press Releases” May 10, 1999
Repeal existing gun restrictions; penalize criminal use


McCain supports the following principles regarding gun issues:
Repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens.
Favor allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms.
McCain says, “There are penalties for criminals who use firearms.”
Source: Project Vote Smart, 1998, www.vote-smart.org Jul 2, 1998 Here are some of the candidate’s voting records where the main topic of the legislation was foreign policy...


Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

A bill to prohibit civil liability actions from being brought or continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition for damages, injunctive or other relief resulting from the misuse of their products by others. Voting YES would:

Exempt lawsuits brought against individuals who knowingly transfer a firearm that will be used to commit a violent or drug-trafficking crime
Exempt lawsuits against actions that result in death, physical injury or property damage due solely to a product defect
Call for the dismissal of all qualified civil liability actions pending on the date of enactment by the court in which the action was brought
Prohibit the manufacture, import, sale or delivery of armor piercing ammunition, and sets a minimum prison term of 15 years for violations
Require all licensed importers, manufacturers and dealers who engage in the transfer of handguns to provide secure gun storage or safety devices
Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S 397 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN397:) ; vote number 2005-219 (http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2005-219.htm) on Jul 29, 2005
Voted YES on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence.

Vote to pass a bill that would block certain civil lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, dealers and importers of firearms and ammunition, mainly those lawsuits aimed at making them liable for gun violence. In this bill, trade groups would also be protected The bill would call for the dismissal of pending lawsuits against the gun industry. The exception would be lawsuits regarding a defect in a weapon or ammunition. It also would provide a 10-year reauthorization of the assault weapons ban which is set to expire in September 2004. The bill would increase the penalties for gun-related violent or drug trafficking crimes which have not resulted in death, to a minimum of 15 years imprisonment. The bill calls for criminal background checks on all firearm transactions at gun shows where at least 75 guns are sold. Exemptions would be made available for dealers selling guns from their homes as well as members-only gun swaps and meets carried out by nonprofit hunting clubs.
Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S.1805/H.R.1036 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SN01805:) ; vote number 2004-30 (http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2004-30.htm) on Mar 2, 2004
Voted NO on background checks at gun shows.

Require background checks on all firearm sales at gun shows.
Status: Amdt Agreed to Y)50; N)50; VP decided YES
Reference: Lautenberg Amdt #362; Bill S. 254 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d106:SN00254:@@@D&summ2=m&) ; vote number 1999-134 (http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_1999-134.htm) on May 20, 1999
Voted YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations.

The Hatch amdt would increase mandatory penalties for the illegal transfer or use of firearms, fund additional drug case prosecutors, and require background check on purchasers at gun shows. [A YES vote supports stricter penalties].
Status: Amdt Agreed to Y)48; N)47; NV)5
Reference: Hatch Amendment #344; Bill S. 254 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d106:SN00254:@@@D&summ2=m&) ; vote number 1999-118 (http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_1999-118.htm) on May 14, 1999
Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows.

Vote to table or kill a motion to require that all gun sales at gun shows be completed by federally licensed gun dealers. Also requires background checks to be completed on buyers and requires gun show promoters to register with the Treasury.
Reference: Bill S.254 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c10X:S.9999:) ; vote number 1999-111 (http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_1999-111.htm) on May 11, 1999
Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks.

Vote to table [kill] an amendment to make it unlawful for gun dealers to sell handguns without providing trigger locks. Violation of the law would result in civil penalties, such as suspension or revocation of the dealer's license, or a fine.
Reference: Bill S 2260 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:S.2260:) ; vote number 1998-216 (http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_1998-216.htm) on Jul 21, 1998
Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC.

McCain co-sponsored banning gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC


Nothing in any provision of law shall authorize the Mayor, or any governmental authority of the District of Columbia, to prohibit possessing firearms by a person who is allowed to possess firearms under federal law.
Denies the District any authority to enact laws or regulations that discourage or eliminate the private ownership or use of firearms.
Repeals the ban on semiautomatic weapons.
Repeals the District's registration requirement for possession of firearms.
Repeals the trigger lock law.
Maintains the current ban on the possession and control of a sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, or short-barreled rifle.
Eliminates criminal penalties for possessing an unregistered firearm.
Specifies exceptions to the prohibition against carrying concealed weapons in the District. Source: D.C. Personal Protection Act (H.R.1399/S.1001) 2007-S1001 (http://www.ontheissues.org/Notebook/Note_2007-S1001.htm) on Mar 27, 2007

[EMUJeff]

Representative Cynthia McKinney

Here are some of the candidate’s voting records where the main topic of the legislation was foreign policy...
Voted NO on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers.

A bill to prohibit civil liability actions from being brought or continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition for damages, injunctive or other relief resulting from the misuse of their products by others. A YES vote would:

Prohibit individuals from filing a qualified civil liability action
Exempt lawsuits brought against individuals who knowingly transfer a firearm that will be used to commit a violent or drug-trafficking crime
Exempt lawsuits against actions that result in death, physical injury or property damage due solely to a product defect
Dismiss of all civil liability actions pending on the date of enactment
Prohibit the manufacture, import, sale or delivery of armor piercing ammunition
Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S 397 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:s.00397:) ; vote number 2005-534 (http://www.ontheissues.org/HouseVote/Party_2005-534.htm) on Oct 20, 2005
Voted NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1.

Vote to pass a bill requiring anyone who purchases a gun at a gun show to go through an instant background check which must be completed within 24 hours [instead of 72 hours].
Reference: Bill introduced by McCollum, R-FL; Bill HR 2122 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c106:H.R.2122:) ; vote number 1999-244 (http://www.ontheissues.org/HouseVote/Party_1999-244.htm) on Jun 18, 1999