The Cheney Record
Cop-Killer Bullets
Dick Cheney voted against the Law Officers Protection Act (H.R. 3132), which banned armor-piercing bullets. Only 21 House members opposed the bill. (1985; 99th Congress, Record Vote No: 465)
Plastic Handguns
Dick Cheney voted against the Terrorist Firearms Detection Act (H.R. 4445), which banned undetectable, plastic handguns that could evade metal detectors. Cheney was one of only four House members to vote against the bill, which was signed into law by President Reagan and renewed in 1998 by President Clinton, and again in 2003 by President Bush. (1988; 100th Congress, Record Vote No: 118)
The Edwards Record
Assault Weapons
John Edwards voted for renewal of the assault weapons ban, which outlaws certain types of military-style firearms, such as Uzis and AK-47s - the guns of choice for criminals and terrorists. U.S. military forces discovered an al Qaeda training manual in Afghanistan that urged terrorists to take advantage of lax U.S. gun laws, and terrorist websites have provided recruits with instructions on how to use an AK-47.
Background Checks
John Edwards voted for requiring criminal background checks for unlicensed gun sales at gun shows, a venue for criminals and terrorists. In recent years, suspected foreign terrorists have exploited the so-called "gun show loophole," which allows them to get firearms with no questions asked.