One of the toughest laws protecting victims of domestic violence is currently in jeopardy. The newly passed Domestic Violence Offenders Gun Ban prohibits people convicted of domestic violence misdemeanor offenses from purchasing or possessing guns. Studies show that weapons are used in thirty percent of domestic violence incidents. Unfortunately, several bills that would gut this law have been introduced in the new Congress.

In the House of Representatives, H.R. 445, sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), exempts police officers and the military from the law's coverage, allowing personnel convicted of domestic violence to have guns. Opponents of the Domestic Violence Gun Ban argue that applying the law to police officers convicted of past and future misdemeanor domestic violence offenses will unfairly cost police officers their jobs. But women's groups counter: police officers who must respond to domestic violence calls most of all should not be abusers themselves.

Two bills in the Senate and House would eliminate retroactive enforcement of the law, meaning that this law would not apply to anyone convicted before September 28, 1996, the day the law was passed. Proponents of this bill say they have introduced it to save the gun ban law. But women's groups call attention to the fact that gun ban laws are generally retroactive, and that eliminating retroactivity would put guns back in the hands of abusers convicted before Sept. 28, 1996.

In a press conference held by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), sponsor of the Domestic Violence Offenders Gun Ban law, Feminist Majority President Eleanor Smeal highlighted the real issue at hand. "Studies have found higher rates of domestic violence within police families: 40% of police families experience physical marital violence compared to 16% of the general population. Rather than trying to seek an exemption for police officers and military personnel who are abusers, we should be concerned with why we are recruiting so many abusers for these positions. Half of all 911 calls are related to domestic violence. Victims of domestic violence should expect a sympathetic officer responding to 911 calls, not one who has committed domestic violence himself."

Lautenberg and Smeal were joined at the press conference by Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson; Rosemary Dempsey, Vice President of National Organization for Women; Donna Edwards, National Network to End Domestic Violence; Sue Glick of the Violence Policy Center, and Diana Zuckerman, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

A hearing for H.R. 26 and H.R. 445 was held by the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee in Crime in early March. Ron Hampton, Executive Director of the National Black Police Association, spoke on behalf of the domestic violence gun ban law: "I believe police mustŠbe the very best and not be above or beyond the laws of this country." See our Take Feminist Action section to contact your members of Congress to oppose the weakening of this important new law.