Congressman Jim Moran's News Commentary

Two and a half weeks ago, the Bush-Cheney Administration and the House and Senate Majority Leadership allowed the Assault Weapons Ban to expire. The result of their inaction at the behest of the NRA has lead to assault weapons being reintroduced to our city streets and local neighborhoods. One might think that after such a dramatic lack of leadership on an issue affecting the lives of millions of Americans, the Congress would lay off from disassembling sensible gun control.

But that call is not in the House Republicans playbook. Instead of focusing on the remaining spending bills that have yet to pass the House and Senate before the October 8, 2004 deadline, the House Republicans are bringing a bill to the floor this week titled the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act" introduced by a representative from Indiana. What it has to do with personally protecting anyone in Washington, D.C. is beyond me.

The gentleman from Indiana's legislation doesn't stop at just repealing important D.C. laws such as those preventing the sale of assault weapons. No, it even goes so far as to prevent D.C. elected officials from enacting any regulation addressing the ownership or use of a firearm. That would mean no restrictions in the District on carrying concealed firearms in churches, movie theaters or shopping centers, no local requirement for gun safety training or registration and no ability whatsoever for local officials to take actions that will help keep guns out of the hands of gang members, terrorists or criminals.

Leaders in the District of Columbia have long recognized that they have a serious crime and gun violence problem. In response, since 1976 they have seen fit to enact strict gun control laws in the District. Last year, D.C. police confiscated a whopping 1,982 firearms from criminal suspects. So far this year, 1,385 guns have been recovered. If the aforementioned legislation were in place, most of those guns would still be on the streets and in the hands of criminals looking to use them to do harm.

Public officials on the ground, working in the District, know the needs of their constituents and the best means to protect them from gun violence. This legislation is a total affront to the concept of "Home-Rule" and a slap in the face to the people of the District of Columbia. We've got a war raging right now in Iraq. We don't need to open another front right here on the city streets of our Nation's Capital.

On an entirely different matter, I want to bring your attention to the next event in my Young Professional's Speakers Series titled, "Dispelling the Top Myths of First-time Home buying in Northern Virginia: What Every Young Person Should Know." The event is scheduled for Tuesday, October 5, 2004, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Auditorium located at 4301 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington.

Guest speaker Darius Jenkins from First Horizon Home Loans will give his perspective on the current housing market in Northern Virginia and outline a plan young people can use to start preparing for the purchase of their first home in one of the most expensive markets in the country. I hope you will able to join us Tuesday night.