Senate Republicans move up gun lawsuit bill for possible Friday vote News
Senate Republicans move up gun lawsuit bill for possible Friday vote

[JURIST] After debate earlier this week [JURIST report], Senate Republicans have moved up a bill to shield gun companies and dealers from liability lawsuits [text], placing it ahead of a defense bill [USA Today report] for a possible vote on Friday. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) [official website] said the law is needed because, "frivolous suits threaten a domestic industry that is critical to our national defense, jeopardize hundreds of thousands of jobs and put at risk that law-abiding citizens have access to guns for recreational use." Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) [official website] said the threat of litigation was being overstated [press release], citing SEC statements from gun companies that claim lawsuits do not pose a threat to their bottom line. USA Today has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.