House of Representatives Votes to Repeal District of Columbia's Gun Laws

Washington, DC—The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a National Rifle Association-backed bill sponsored by Representative Travis Childers (D-MS) that would virtually wipe out any regulation of guns by the District of Columbia, endangering citizens, visitors, and public officials while adversely impacting the ability of law enforcement to stop crime and prevent terrorism.

The NRA bill was offered as a substitute to legislation (H.R. 6842) proposed by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) that would have instructed the District to implement a firearms law that complies with the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in District of Columbia v. Heller "in a manner that protects the security interests of the Federal government and the people who work in, reside in, or visit the District of Columbia and does not undermine the efforts of law enforcement, homeland security, and military officials to protect the Nation's capital from crime and terrorism." The Norton bill would have allowed DC residents and officials to have a say in how the District of Columbia regulates guns within its borders.

VPC Legislative Director Kristen Rand states, "This NRA-backed bill repealing DC's gun laws serves only the political interests of the gun lobby and the profit motives of the gun industry. Make no mistake, such a radical reversal of DC's gun policy will cost lives."

The Violence Policy Center is a national non-profit educational foundation that conducts research on violence in America and works to develop violence-reduction policies and proposals. The Center examines the role of firearms in America, conducts research on firearms violence, and explores new ways to decrease firearm-related death and injury.