Congress Guns

Congressional Democrats Introduce Bill to Repeal Gun Industry Immunity

Written by SK Ashby

We all know there's no chance in hell this bill will pass under our Republican-controlled Congress, but at least they're trying.

Senate and House Democrats have introduced a bill to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) of 2005.

"In some jurisdictions, if your dog bites me, you are strictly liable. No excuses, it’s your fault, you pay,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), one of the sponsors of the bill. “And yet for a gun, there is no liability at all,” he added. “Absolute immunity.” [...]

"This is not a bill that says, ‘Merely because you sell a gun that’s later used in a crime, that you’re somehow responsible or liable,’ ” said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who is sponsoring the bill in the House. "No, what this bill says is that the gun industry shouldn’t enjoy an immunity that no other industry enjoys for when it acts negligently, when it acts knowingly, when it acts in bad faith,” he added.

I suppose I should be fair and say there's actually no guarantee this bill would survive a filibuster and pass even under a Democratically-controlled Congress, but the chances of success would certainly be far higher than zero. A bill to expand background checks was filibustered by Republicans and a handful of Democrats in 2013.

Bernie Sanders voted for the Lawful Commerce in Arms Act in 2005 to grant immunity to the gun industry, but he wasn't a Democrat until a few months ago.