Introduction
The legislative process in the United States Congress shows us an interesting drama in which a bill becomes a law through compromises made by diverse and sometimes conflicting
interests in this country. There have been many controversial bills passed by Congress, but among all, I have taken a particular interest in the passage of the Brady bill. When the Brady debate was in full swing in Congress about three years ago, I was still back in my country, Japan, where the possession of guns is strictly restricted by laws. While watching television
news reports on the Brady debate, I wondered what was making it so hard for this gun control bill to pass in this gun violence ridden country. In this paper, I will trace the bill's seven year history in Congress, which I hope will reveal how partisan politics played a crucial role in the Brady bill's passage in this policy making branch.
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