Jeremiah Smith: “I rise to introduce the ``Second Anendment Rights Protection Act of 1999.'' I am pleased and honored that Senators…”

“I rise to introduce the ``Second Anendment Rights Protection Act of 1999.'' I am pleased and honored that Senators Inhofe, Burns, Enzi, and Murkowski are joining me as original cosponsors. Mr. President, the Second Amendment Rights Protection Act of 1999 encompasses all of the provisions of the Smith Amendment, which passed the Senate by a vote of 69-31 on July 21, 1998, during consideration of the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill for fiscal year 1999. Only a substantially modified version of the Smith amendment was included in the final omnibus appropriations measure. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) went into effect on December 1, 1998. My bill would require the immediate destruction of all information submitted by any person who has been cleared by the NICS to purchase a firearm. There is no reason why such private information on law-abiding gun owners should be retained. I continue to be troubled by the Clinton administration's insistence upon doing so. In addition, Mr. President, my bill would prohibit the imposition of any tax or fee in connection with the NICS. Once again, in his budget submission for fiscal year 2000, President Clinton is seeking to fund NICS with a gun tax. With the Smith amendment last year, we told President Clinton ``no'' to the gun tax. Let us tell him ``no'' again, once and for all, by enacting the Second Amendment Rights Protection Act. Finally, Mr.…”