Weapons

October 9, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- Reps. Mike Castle (R-DE) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), House architects of the Gun Show Loophole Closing Act (HR 2324), today praised Mayor Bloomberg's undercover investigation by the City of New York of illegal sales of firearms at gun shows in three states, and the report's recommendation for closing the gun show loophole.

Reps. Castle and McCarthy believe that now is the ideal time for HR 2324 to gain traction in Congress as Senator Frank Lautenberg introduced similar legislation and on the 2008 Presidential campaign trail, the concept enjoyed the bipartisan support of both candidates.    » read more »

Senate Passage of Defense Bill Will Help Ensure Government Can Destroy Weapons by Congressionally Mandated Date of 2017

October 7, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet announced that they have joined the Senate in approving a bill that includes $154.4 million for weapons destruction at Pueblo Chemical Depot. The funding, which was included in the bipartisan Department of Defense Appropriations bill, will help the federal government stay on track to destroy the chemical weapons stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot by the congressionally mandated date of 2017. The bill passed Tuesday evening by a vote of 93-7.    » read more »

October 1, 2009 -- HOUSTON – Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Director Kenneth E. Melson today announced the results of ATF’s Gun Runner Impact Team (GRIT) initiative, a 120-day deployment of ATF resources to the Houston Field Division to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking by Mexican drug cartels.

The Justice Department officials also outlined the $10 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds that have been allocated to support the initiative going forward.    » read more »

October 5, 2009 -- "Mr. President, the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis released an important report earlier this month detailing many of the potential dangers at gun shows. The report, Inside Gun Shows: What Goes on When Everybody Thinks Nobody’s Watching, was composed from an analysis of existing research as well as direct observation and photographic evidence.

During a three year period, data was collected from 78 gun shows in 19 states. The report provides a clear illustration of a largely unregulated gun market that is “an important source of guns used in criminal violence.”    » read more »

TEWKSBURY, Mass., June 2, 2009 -- Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Surface Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile successfully intercepted a maneuvering unmanned aircraft system (UAS) during a flight test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.    » read more »

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., May 29, 2009 -- Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) newest variant of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile continued to demonstrate its advanced warfighting capabilities when it completed its seventh test flight.

During the March 19 test, the AIM-120D AMRAAM was fired from a U.S. Air Force F-15D fighter aircraft. Initial analysis shows the missile achieved all primary test objectives.

"The hard work of the U.S. government-Raytheon team to deliver a world-class missile continues to pay off," said Col. Michael Andersen, commander of the U.S. Air Force's 328th Armament Systems Group. "The AIM-120D program is on track and will deliver to the U.S. warfighter the most capable beyond-visual range air-to-air missile ever fielded."    » read more »

New Report Charts Changing Global Opinion Against the Weapon

May 29, 2009 -- (Geneva) - The prohibition on cluster munitions is firmly taking hold as more countries join the new treaty banning the weapon and hold-out states shift their policies in the right direction, says a report jointly released today by Human Rights Watch, Landmine Action, and Landmine Monitor.    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- Shchuchye, Russia -- U.S. Senator Dick Lugar said today that the Nunn-Lugar Chemical Weapons Destruction Facility here is a testament to U.S.-Russian “cooperation and our shared dedication to addressing the threats posed by weapons of mass destruction.”

More than a decade in the making, the facility will destroy nearly 2 million chemical weapons shells and nerve agent that has been stored here since Soviet days. It is arguably the largest facility in the world destroying chemical munitions, and is currently the only operating facility that can accommodate the destruction of 2 million munitions.    » read more »

May 20, 2009, Juneau, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today welcomed the news that Congress has passed legislation that would permit visitors to carry loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges, subject to the requirements of state law. The provision was included in legislation placing new restrictions on the way in which credit card companies deal with consumers.

“This is certainly good news for Alaska,” Governor Palin said. “The ability to carry a firearm can define a life or death situation, especially for protection against surprise encounters with wildlife, mainly bears. I appreciate the strong bipartisan support this received in the House and Senate. I am pleased the administration says the president will sign the bill.”    » read more »

Legislation seeks to reduce supply of illegal guns, increase penalties and comply with federal requirements

BOSTON– Wednesday, May 6, 2009 – Continuing Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s efforts to reduce gun violence and strengthen public safety, Public Safety Secretary Kevin M. Burke today announced that the Patrick-Murray Administration has filed a bill to give police and prosecutors more tools to tackle illegal gun use and make the Commonwealth a safer place to live, work, and raise families.    » read more »

Governor Urges Congress To Reinstate Assault Weapon Ban; Asks Legislature To Pass Sensible Measures To Limit Illegal Handguns

April 15, 2009 -- HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell, along with Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper and other chief law enforcement officers from across Pennsylvania, today called on Congress and the General Assembly to stand with them and put an end to senseless murders stemming from the use of deadly assault weapons and illegal handguns.

The Governor wrote to Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation and the leadership of the state legislature today asking them to support common sense measures that have been proven to protect law enforcement officers and keep communities safe.    » read more »

WASHINGTON (April 8, 2009) -- The Nuclear Weapons Complex Consolidation Policy (NWCC) Network, a collaboration of six national and regional groups, released a study today that provides the roadmap for a large and swift reduction in the nation’s nuclear weapons and the sprawling government complex that develops and produces them. The study outlines the case for a tenfold reduction in the nation’s active nuclear weapons stockpile, to 500 deployed nuclear warheads by 2015, supported by a weapons complex reduced from the current eight sites in seven states to just three sites in two states, Texas and New Mexico.    » read more »

Obama Should Initiate Review of US Stance on Treaty

March 12, 2009 -- (Washington, DC) - Legislation signed into law on March 11, 2009 by President Obama will make permanent a ban on nearly all cluster bomb exports by the United States, Human Rights Watch said today. The United States should review its stance on joining the international treaty prohibiting cluster munitions in light of this action, Human Rights Watch said.

"This permanent export ban is a major turnaround in US policy," said Steve Goose, arms division director at Human Rights Watch. "It brings Washington into closer alignment with international opinion on this terrible weapon."    » read more »

June 2008 -- The U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) Program successfully completed full prototype integration of the first FCS Manned Ground Vehicle (MGV) Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon (NLOS-C). The Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon, which has the ability to rapidly deliver precision munitions in both urban and conventional battlespace is the lead prototype in the Army's family of eight FCS Manned Ground Vehicles.    » read more »

Five Men Indicted on Gun Charges as a Result of New Jersey’s Historic Partnership With ATF to Trace Illegal Firearms

May 29, 2008 -- TRENTON - New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that five men were charged today in separate indictments with illegally selling guns in Trenton.

Handheld weapons: Photo by Brian Bennett (CC)

The charges stem from the state’s historic partnership with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to trace guns seized in criminal investigations.    » read more »