09/95 Brady Repeal Introduced

Rep. Stockman Introduces Brady Repeal
— GOA Praises Effort to Undo Gun Law

by Gun Owners of America

(September 27, 1995) — Representative Steve Stockman (R-TX) has introduced a bill, H.R. 2393, to repeal the Brady law requiring a 5 day waiting period and a background check for handgun purchases. Larry Pratt, Executive Director of Gun Owners of America, said H.R. 2393 is “the most welcome bill I’ve seen this Congress.”

Pratt issued the following statement to the media in response to the introduction of the bill: “The Brady Law is a proven failure in fighting crime, in addition to being unconstitutional. On the one year anniversary of the enactment of the Brady law, Sarah Brady of Handgun Control Inc., bragged that there were 40,000 people denied a handgun by the Brady background check. But of those 40,000 people initially denied, only four have been prosecuted. A tremendous amount of law enforcement resources and taxpayer dollars were misused to garnish four prosecutions, while tens of thousands of citizens were harassed by the legal system.

“The Brady law, however, is more than a mere inconvenience. Just over a month ago, in Shreveport, Louisiana, Philip Russell Coleman applied to purchase a handgun to be used for self-defense. Coleman worked late at a liquor store and felt that his safety was in jeopardy. Louisiana has an Instant Check system, which exempts states from the waiting period. Still, he was prevented from buying a gun by the background check. That very night, he was shot and killed by a gang of thugs.

“Three days after Coleman’s murder, the Sheriff’s Department faxed a notice to the store where Coleman had applied for the handgun, stating that Coleman had been approved for the purchase. This case shows how the Brady law, whether its applied with a waiting period or the instant check, can contribute to the loss of life of law-abiding citizens.

“Hardened criminals, however, don’t submit to waiting periods or background checks. They can easily buy their guns on the street in the lucrative black market. So while criminals can get their guns in an instant, law-abiding citizens are delayed, inconvenienced, and, in the case of Philip Coleman, killed.

“Congress should repeal this unconstitutional law and restore the rights of law-abiding Americans. GOA supports Congressman Stockman’s efforts 100%, and applauds him for this courageous move. He certainly deserves our thanks.”