CPI #4

March 22, 2000
  • Average number of young people in the U.S. - infants to age 19 - who die from gunshot wounds daily: 12.1
  • Number of federal product safety regulations that guns must meet: 0.2
  • Percent of Americans who favor federal safety regulation of guns: 73.3
  • National Rifle Association spending in the 1998 elections: $4.4 million.4
  • Number of votes current U.S. House of Representatives has taken on proposed legislation that would require federal safety regulation of guns: 0.5
  • Number of people who died in alcohol-related traffic accidents in 1997, latest year for which information is available: 16,189.6
  • Alcohol industry contributions in the 1998 elections: $7.9 million.7
  • Status of 1998 bill to require states to adopt a stricter drunk-driving standard in order to qualify for federal highway funding: failed.8
  • Contributions from tobacco industry so far toward the 2000 elections: $2.1 million.9
  • Estimated number of young people, under age 18, who begin smoking daily: 3,000.10
  • Status of 1998 legislation that would have fined tobacco companies $3,000 a year for each young smoker: failed.11

________________________________


1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, U.S. Injury Mortality Statistics, 1997, www.cdc.gov/ncipc/osp/usmort.htm.
2 Attitudes Towards and Experiences with Guns: A State-Level Perspective, Results of study by National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago, released by Violence Policy Center, March 15, 2000, www.vpc.org/press/0003norc.htm.
3 ibid.
4 Includes direct contributions to candidates, independent expenditures, and communications costs. Historically, the National Rifle Association (NRA) spends a large proportion of its PAC dollars on independent expenditures (often advertisements supporting or opposing a candidate) and communications costs (communications with NRA members urging them to support or oppose a candidate). For example, in 1998, 52 percent of the NRA PAC’s spending in federal elections was on independent expenditures and communications cost. The Big Picture: The Money Behind the 1998 Elections, The Center for Responsive Politics, 1999, www.opensecrets.org/pubs/bigpicture2000/index.htm.
5 H.R. 2007 and H.R. 2008 would both give the Consumer Product Safety Commission authority to regulate gun safety. Both bills were referred to House Subcommittees in June 1999, and no action has been taken since.
6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Impaired Driving Factsheet, www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/drving.htm.
7 Includes PAC, individual ($200+), and soft money contributions. The Big Picture: The Money Behind the 1998 Elections, The Center for Responsive Politics, 1999, www.opensecrets.org/pubs/bigpicture2000/index.htm.
8 Though the Senate passed a new drunk-driving requirement as part of S.1173, the Senate Transportation Spending bill, the measure never came for a vote in the House.
9 Includes PAC, individual ($200+), and soft money contributions to federal parties and candidates. “Smoke Signals: The Tobacco Industry’s New Fight on Capitol Hill,” Money in Politics Alert, vol. 5, no. 36, Center for Responsive Politics February 7, 2000.
10 Centers for Disease Control, Tobacco Information and Prevention Source, www.cdc.gov/tobacco/issue.htm.
11 Smoke Signals, Center for Responsive Politics. President Bill Clinton recently revived this proposal as part of this year’s White House budget.