Just got an e-mail response from Bernie. And people wonder why I LIKE this guy:
Dear Roger:
Thank you for contacting me in support of H.R. 800, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005.
U.S. law gives individuals the right to seek restitution when they are injured as a result of a manufacturer's negligent conduct. Design defects, manufacturing defects and defects in marketing are all included under the broad category of "product liability" and can be just cause to file suit in a court of law.
In recent years, however, product liability suits have been filed against gun manufacturers and sellers by individuals who were harmed not by a defective product but by the actions of a third party who used a functioning, legally permitted firearm.
H.R. 800 would address this situation by protecting gun manufacturers and sellers from being held responsible for the actions of third parties in possession of their products. These businesses would still be held to the prevailing standard of product liability that other businesses are held to, and would not be granted any special legal protection. As with any other industry, if a gun manufacturer or seller produces a defective product or engages in defective marketing practices, they can be sued. If, however, a gun manufacturer or seller creates a product that works precisely as it is supposed to work and is designed and sold according to all applicable laws of the United States, H.R. 800 will ensure that they cannot be sued for a subsequent criminal act.
All of us, gun owners and non-gun owners, are concerned about guns falling into the hands of criminals. We cannot, however, hold what is a legitimate industry responsible for the actions of individuals over whom it has no control.
Thank you for contacting me about this important issue. Please feel free to do so again in the future about this or any other subject of interest to you. For more information about what my office is working on in Congress, please be sure to visit my website at http://bernie.house.gov. Once there, I invite you to sign up for my periodic email updates, the Bernie Buzz, at http://bernie.house.gov/bernie_buzz/index.asp. Please be aware that due to security screening procedures, postal mail to my office is still experiencing delays which will lengthen the time it takes me to get back to you. The fastest way to contact my office is by calling 1-800-339-9834 or by visiting the contact page on my website at http://www.house.gov/formbernie/forms/contact.html.
Sincerely,
Bernard Sanders
Member of Congress
Dear Roger:
Thank you for contacting me in support of H.R. 800, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005.
U.S. law gives individuals the right to seek restitution when they are injured as a result of a manufacturer's negligent conduct. Design defects, manufacturing defects and defects in marketing are all included under the broad category of "product liability" and can be just cause to file suit in a court of law.
In recent years, however, product liability suits have been filed against gun manufacturers and sellers by individuals who were harmed not by a defective product but by the actions of a third party who used a functioning, legally permitted firearm.
H.R. 800 would address this situation by protecting gun manufacturers and sellers from being held responsible for the actions of third parties in possession of their products. These businesses would still be held to the prevailing standard of product liability that other businesses are held to, and would not be granted any special legal protection. As with any other industry, if a gun manufacturer or seller produces a defective product or engages in defective marketing practices, they can be sued. If, however, a gun manufacturer or seller creates a product that works precisely as it is supposed to work and is designed and sold according to all applicable laws of the United States, H.R. 800 will ensure that they cannot be sued for a subsequent criminal act.
All of us, gun owners and non-gun owners, are concerned about guns falling into the hands of criminals. We cannot, however, hold what is a legitimate industry responsible for the actions of individuals over whom it has no control.
Thank you for contacting me about this important issue. Please feel free to do so again in the future about this or any other subject of interest to you. For more information about what my office is working on in Congress, please be sure to visit my website at http://bernie.house.gov. Once there, I invite you to sign up for my periodic email updates, the Bernie Buzz, at http://bernie.house.gov/bernie_buzz/index.asp. Please be aware that due to security screening procedures, postal mail to my office is still experiencing delays which will lengthen the time it takes me to get back to you. The fastest way to contact my office is by calling 1-800-339-9834 or by visiting the contact page on my website at http://www.house.gov/formbernie/forms/contact.html.
Sincerely,
Bernard Sanders
Member of Congress
