2 Gun Industry Groups Support Controls

WASHINGTON — Two powerful gun industry groups have agreed in previously undisclosed meetings with White House officials to support five of the Clinton administration’s proposals on gun control--the first time the gun makers themselves have lined up behind new limits on gun sales.

The two most significant areas of agreement are to raise the age at which a person can buy a handgun from 18 to 21 and to support laws that would hold parents criminally responsible for allowing children access to guns.

Robert A. Ricker, executive director of the American Shooting Sports Council, and Robert Delfay, president of the National Shooting Sports Council, met at the White House on Tuesday with Bruce Reed, chief domestic policy advisor to the president, to discuss the legislative proposals.

The recent tragedy in Littleton, Colo., in which two teenagers used guns to kill high school classmates, a teacher and themselves, has propelled people on both sides of gun issues to seek solutions, Ricker said Friday. “We’re very serious about finding solutions to juvenile violence,” he said.

Noticeably absent from the White House meeting was any representative of the National Rifle Assn., the powerful lobbying group that represents gun owners and has recently worked in lock step with the two industry groups, which are trade associations for gun makers, distributors and retailers.

In the last year, gun manufacturers have faced new courtroom challenges from individuals and cities seeking to hold them liable for the costs of gun violence.

The NRA would not comment on the decision by the two trade associations to throw their support behind the White House gun control proposals.

“We will announce a much broader package of proposals,” said NRA spokesman Bill Powers. He declined to elaborate on the NRA’s proposals, except to say they will be announced Monday.

Monday also marks the beginning of debate in the Senate on several gun control bills.

In addition to the change in age to buy handguns and parental responsibility proposals, the two industry groups also will support what is being called the juvenile Brady proposal, which would bar juveniles who have been convicted of violent felonies from ever being able to buy a gun. Under current law, those convicted as juveniles can still buy guns after they turn 18.

In addition, the groups said they will support closing a loophole on background checks by requiring those who sell guns at gun shows to make the checks. The groups also will agree to expand a federal program by requiring that all firearms recovered at crime scenes be traced.