Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, this amendment would weaken current law, undermine State laws concerning the carrying of firearms, and harm the efforts of law enforcement to take action against illegal firearms trafficking. Current law applies only to the transportation of a firearm in a motor vehicle. This bill would expand current law to allow a person to transport a gun outside a motor vehicle so long as the firearm is unloaded and locked in a container or is secured with a safety device. This would allow a person to walk down the street with an unloaded gun as long as the gun had a trigger lock on it, regardless of the State's laws on carrying guns in public. This amendment would also allow guns on trains, cable cars, and trollies so long as the guns are unloaded and locked, regardless of State or local laws. This is because trains, cable cars, and trollies are not considered to be motor vehicles under the applicable Federal definition. Current Federal law gives State governments the authority over firearms in these forms of transportation, but the Griffith amendment would remove that authority. The proposed amendment would also have a negative impact on our law enforcement officers' ability to enforce our gun laws. Specifically, this amendment would make it more difficult for officers to investigate suspected gun traffickers and people who illegally carry weapons. Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record a letter from the Police Foundation.…”