House Votes To End D.C. Gun Ban
/The House voted Wednesday to end a 28-year ban on
handgun ownership in the nation's capital, brushing aside pleas from
city officials concerned about a surge in violence and more heavily
armed criminals. "The District of Columbia handgun ban has failed. It
has failed miserably," said Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., sponsor of the
bill that passed 250-171. It is unlikely the Senate will take up the
measure this year. Democratic opponents said the vote was timed to
force lawmakers into a tough position on gun control ahead of the Nov.
2 election. Fifty-two Democrats voted for lifting the ban and 22
Republicans voted against the bill. The legislation would lift the ban
on handgun ownership. It also would allow people to have other weapons,
including semiautomatic rifles, that are not illegal under federal law.[more 
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