WASHINGTON- Last night, Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) and
Congressman Walt Minnick (D-ID) offered an amendment in the House
Committee on Rules to strip funding from a provision that would allow
for the enforcement of a proposed regulation currently under review at
the Office of Customs and Border Patrol within the Department of
Homeland Security which could classify any "open assisted" knife as a
switchblade. The Amendment was not made in order by the rules
committee.
Recently, Congressman Latta sent a letter to Department of Homeland
Security Secretary Janet Napolitano asking the department to reconsider
the proposed regulation. The letter was signed by 80 House Republicans
and Democrats.
"I am disappointed that this amendment did not pass the Rules Committee
last night and I look forward to discussing this important issue during
floor proceedings this week. I will continue to work with Congressman
Minnick and other members of Congress in a bi-partisan fashion to bring
awareness to this flawed proposal and work to ensure it does not become
a regulation. Everyone from our first responders, law enforcement
officials, boy scouts, and hunters will be affected by this regulation.
It is unacceptable to think that we as citizens cannot carry a
pocketknife for work or recreation purposes," Latta stated this morning.
Full text of Congressman Latta's letter to Secretary Napolitano can be
found here .
