Monday: Guns and fire hydrants in the House

The House will consider three suspension bills when it returns this afternoon, including one extending a law that requires guns and gun parts to include enough metal to be detected by metal detectors.

The bill, from Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.), would extend the Undetectable Firearms Act for 10 more years. That law bans the manufacture, import, sale, shipment or ownership of guns that can’t be detected by a metal detector.

{mosads}It was first passed in 1998, and last extended in 2003. Without another extension, it will expire at the end of this year.

Another bill up today would exempt fire hydrants from a proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would require fire hydrants to be lead-free. The EPA rule says fire hydrants are sometimes used to provide drinking water, and that they should therefore be covered by lead pipe rules under the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act.

But supporters of the bipartisan bill, H.R. 3588, say the EPA’s rule would block the installation of commercially available hydrants, which could pose a safety risk.

Finally, the House will consider H.R. 3547, the Space Launch Liability Indemnification Extension Act. This bill would extend a limitation on liability against commercial space launch companies through the end of next year.

The Senate is out all week, and returns next week.