Show J i 7 a t cr 1 1 Gun Control Burton s r or LAURENCE J. J BURTON Utah The tradition of gun ownership ownership ownership owner owner- ship and use so prevalent inthe inthe in inthe the west is one to which I heartily subscribe I did everything everything everything every every- thing I could to prevent passage passage passage pass pass- age of the Gun Control Act of 1968 because I felt that it would merely penalize sportsmen sportsmen sportsmen sports sports- men and law-abiding law citizens while having little or no effect effect effect ef ef- in controlling g or deterring deterring deterring deter deter- ring crime DURING THE nine months that the law has been in effect effect effect ef ef- I have had no reason to change chang my mind The criminals and the unfit still find ways to bypass the law and get guns and ammunition ammunition ammunition am am- with which to commit felonies and acts of violence while responsible citizens are harassed by the unnecessary and burdensome reporting regulations regulations regulations reg reg- adopted by the Treasury Department that requires requires requires re re- re- re quires registration of all types of ammunition purchased In my view this is a gross misinterpretation misinterpretation misinterpretation mis mis- interpretation of the intent of Congress and corrective legislation legislation legislation legis legis- lation is our only recourse I EMPHASIZE the word corrective I do not feel that proposals to repeal the Gun Control Act are realistic On February 6 1969 I introduced introduced introduced in in- a H. bill R. R that would change the definition of ammunition to include only the type used for a destructive device and for pistol and revolver revolver revolver re re- re- re volver ammunition SHOTGUN shells metallic ammunition suitable for use only in rifles or any 22 caliber ammunition are specifically exempted H. H R. R has been languishing languish languish- ing in the House Judiciary Committee Committee Committee Com Com- however with the Chairman showing no inclination inclination inclination tion to consider and report any firearms or ammunition legislation in the Congress On September 3 1969 therefore therefore therefore there there- fore I redrafted my bill to amend Section of Title 26 of the U. U S. S Code which deals with firearms recordkeeping recordkeeping recordkeeping record- record keeping under the Internal Revenue part of the Code MY NEW bill has the full support of the Treasury Department and because it modifies the ammunition ammunition ammunition am am- recordkeeping requirements requirements requirements re re- re- re of the Gun Act it has been referred to the House Ways and Means Com Com- H. H R. R and H. H R. R would accomplish the same to purpose-to release sportsmen sportsmen sportsmen sports sports- men from the unnecessary of present burdensome burdensome burdensome bur bur- reporting regulations regulations regulations regula regula- when purchasing am am- but I felt that the chances of consideration by bythe bythe bythe the Ways and Means Committee Committee Committee Com Com- were much better SINCE SEPT 3rd when I introduced the mentioned above-mentioned bill there has been an interesting in- in interesting interesting in in- and extremely ly hopeful hopeful hopeful hope hope- ful development in the Senate Senate Senate Sen Sen- ate a development brought about through the ef efforts orts of Senator Bennett The Senator has been able to attach an amendment regarding regarding regarding re re- re- re garding sporting ammunition registration to a bill of an unrelated nature a bill which is almost sure of passage THIS TIllS IS A bit of legislative footwork permitted in the Senate but not in the House In the House amendments must be germane to the bill under consideration in the Senate an amendment known as a rider may be attached to a bill of totally unrelated subject matter Senator Bennetts Bennett's amend amend- ment would exclude rifle shotgun and 22 shells from the elaborate registration procedures required under the law IN ESSENCE it would accomplish accomplish accomplish ac ac- ac- ac what my bill H. H R. R was designed to do The bill to which the Bennett Bennett Bennett Ben Ben- nett amendment is attached is H. H R. R a measure extending the interest equal tax The tax increases the cost costor of or foreign securities to U. U S. S buyers and thereby helps retard retard re re- tard lard an outflow of capital The Senate has not yet acted on this measure but H. H R. R expired on Sept 30 so action cannot be delayed much long- long in ere fact action is expected sometime this week IF Tl THIS S amendment is retained retained re re- by the Senate the House- House enacted measure and that passed by the Senate will be dissimilar with the House en acted measure holding strictly to the primary subject matter of the legislation and the Senate bill having attached to it amendments dealing with extraneous subjects and these bills will have to go to toa toa toa a Senate House Conference for resolution of the differences Wilbur Mills chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee has indicated that i the House Conferees will raise no objection to retention of the Bennett Amendment I FEEL hopeful therefore that if this measure pass passes passes the Senate intact that the Conferees will not remove the amendment and that the measure e together with the Bennett amendment will become become become be be- come law before the start of the hunting season Secretary of the Treasury David M. M Kennedy whose department department department de de- is charged with enforcement en en- of the ammunition registration s section states that the amendment would in no noway noway noway way affect the recordkeeping g requirements concerning pistol and revolver ammunition nor would the amendment affect the existing controls over interstate interstate in in- shipment and sales by licensees to prohibited per per- sons Note SINCE dictating this memo I learn that Senator Bennett has deleted 22 ammunition am am- ammunition from his amendment amend amend- ment to the tax bill This was necessary in order to get the Senate Leadership to call u up P the bill as amended for action in the Senate Senator Mansfield has promised to I. I schedule d e the bill promptly now |