[Don H]

This is the correct link to the story: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6322396

Chaffetz bill targets DOD over sales of used shell casings
April 30, 2009



WASHINGTON D.C. - Utah's 3rd Congressional District Rep. Jason Chaffetz is upset because he thinks the government found a back-door method of gun control.

He contends instead of restricting guns, the federal government targeted bullets.

Usually the Department of Defense sells more than 100 million used shell casings a year to companies that reload them and sell them to the public. But in March, the D.O.D. announced it was going to destroy the casings.

Chaffetz says that move would take millions of bullets off the market.

"That, to me, is a back-door way of gun control. They were trying to drive up the price of ammunition thinking there would be less ammunition sold," he said.

Four days later, a press release basically offered a retraction. It said, "Upon review, the Defense Logistics Agency has determined the cartridge cases could be appropriately placed in a category of government property allowing for their release for sale."

According to the Daily Herald, munitions makers say it was the Obama administration bowing to the public outcry.

Chaffetz now is introducing legislation to keep the casings coming. The Herald reports the measure would say: "The Secretary of Defense may not implement any policy that would prevent or place undue restriction on the continued sale of intact spent military brass ammunition casings to domestic manufacturers of small arms ammunition."