WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association is credited by even its fiercest foes with the biggest political victory of 1999 — steamrolling gun-control advocates with a powerful mix of political savvy and cold cash. Gun-control proposals, a top priority for Democrats, remain bottled up in the legislative limbo of a conference committee. And it's not certain whether those measures, including three-day background checks on gun-show sales, will be seriously addressed... (GunPolicy.org)

More than $30 million remains unspent from the guns buyback, despite the scheme finishing more than two years ago. No guns have been handed in since October 1997, yet the Federal Government is still deciding what to do with the leftover cash. The Government raised $490 million through a one-off rise in the Medicare levy, similar to the Timor tax. The buyback cost almost $459 million, including compensation to dealers and firearms owners and administration payments to... (GunPolicy.org)

While prosecutors comb through their cases, Illinois legislative leaders are wondering what to do now that the state Supreme Court has overturned a law that cracked down on gunrunning. A thousand people either suspected or convicted of gun crimes in Chicago and the suburbs could be freed from prison thanks to the ruling throwing out the Safe Neighborhoods Act. One of them is James Jackson, the man police say sold the gun used to kill Chicago police officer Michael... (GunPolicy.org)