George Bush photo

Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1154 - Assault Weapon Import Control

September 13, 1990

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House Rules)
(Gibbons (D) Florida and 22 others)

The Administration opposes H.R. 1154 because it would:

—  Codify the administrative ban on the importation of 43 types of firearms which failed to meet the "sporting purposes" test prescribed by the Gun Control Act (18 U.S.C. 925(d)). Current law allows the Secretary of the Treasury to evaluate imported firearms on a case-by-case basis and to expand or contract the list of banned firearms as needed. This discretion should be preserved.

—  Ban imports of five types of pistols. Under current law, all firearms, including pistols, must meet the "sporting purposes" test for importation. Further, handguns are evaluated by the, use of "factoring criteria" (such as length, weight, construction type, caliber, and safety features) to determine their eligibility for importation. This current standard is sufficient to preclude the importation of handguns which do not meet the "sporting purposes" test, and the list contained in H.R. 1154 is therefore unnecessary.

—  Fail to include an exception for law enforcement agencies. Various Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies utilize weapons the import of which would be banned by H.R. 1154.

The Administration urges that Congress instead pass the President's firearms-related proposals contained in H.R. 2709, the "Comprehensive Violent Crime Control Act of 1989." H.R. 2709 would not only ban the importation of magazines and belts in excess of 15 rounds, but also their manufacture, transfer, or sale for use by private citizens.

George Bush, Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1154 - Assault Weapon Import Control Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/328834

Simple Search of Our Archives