SENATE AMENDMENT PROTECTS POCKETKNIVES . . . As reported in earlier Bullet Points, there was an attempt by U.S. Customs to reclassify any knife that could be opened with one hand as a switchblade, effectively banning almost all pocket knives. The U.S. Senate last week approved the FY2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill Conference Report, which includes an amendment to protect the use of pocketknives. The amendment, inserted into the bill in July by Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) successfully blocked the attempt by the Office of Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to alter their interpretation of the definition of switchblade knives to include spring-assisted or one-handed-opening knives as defined under the 1958 Switchblade Knife Act.
