To the Point

The Gun Immunity Bill and the Future of Gun Control

Congress is about to protect the gun industry against civil lawsuits. Opponents call it -The Bulls Eye Bill,- after the Bulls Eye Gun Shop that lost track of the rifle later used by the Washington, DC snipers to kill 12 people. Victims- attorneys say lawsuits accusing the shop of negligence would have to be dropped if the bill passed, and passage is likely, with support from the President and leading Democrats. America-s gun industry says it-s at risk of being driven out of business by victims' claims of negligence against gun shops and gun makers. Some 33 cities and New York State have sued to demand compensation for public health and other costs they attribute to gun violence. We look at the future of gun control with journalists, proponents and opponents, including attorneys and the Mayor of Gary, Indiana. Making News: Latest Developments in Haiti CNN is quoting State Department officials saying it-s increasingly possible that Haiti-s President Jean-Bertrand Aristide may have to resign. Meantime, the Coast Guard has intercepted two boats carrying 140 Haitian refugees. Joe Contreras, who is reporting from Port au Prince for Newsweek magazine, offers some historical perspective and the efforts of diplomats searching for a way out of the violence and instability. Reporters Notebook: Rape and the Military Yesterday, a Congressional hearing was told that 112 incidents of sexual misconduct have been reported by US service women in the past 18 months, some against women military police and helicopter pilots in remote combat zones. Retired Navy Captain Laurie Manning, who directs the Women in the Military Project at the Women-s Research and Education Institute in Washington, says five task forces launched investigations into the problem.