WASHINGTON – Legislation that would block lawsuits against gun makers and sellers if their products are misused has drawn support from more than half of the Senate and House, after the political climate created during the Washington-area sniper attacks derailed a similar bill last year.

The companion bills introduced by Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., in the House and Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, in the Senate, have drawn support from mostly Republicans, but several Democrats have signed on to the bills. Stearns’ bill has 243 co-sponsors and Craig’s bill has 51.

Critics say the legislation would protect gun makers, such as Bushmaster Firearms Inc., of Windham, Maine, from legal claims. The D.C. sniper suspects reportedly used a Maine-made Bushmaster assault rifle bought from Bull’s Eye Shooter Supply of Tacoma, Wash.

Craig said he introduced his bill Wednesday in response to lawsuits that target gun makers.

“It is solely directed at stopping frivolous, politically-driven litigation against law-abiding gun owners and firearms businesses for the misbehavior of criminals over whom they had no control,” Craig said. “The truth of the matter is that there are millions of firearms in this country today, yet only a tiny fraction of them have ever been used in the commission of a crime.”

Craig’s spokesman, Will Hart, said the bill, titled Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, is simply common sense and he expects it to pass this session.

“If you look at it intelligently, these lawsuits are not brought about because of a specific flaw in the product,” Hart said. “We don’t believe that a law abiding citizen that sells a gun under the laws should be responsible if someone commits a crime with a gun they sell.”

Working for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, former Democratic U.S. Sen. William D. Hathaway of Maine is lobbying to encourage “certain senators” to vote against the “nonsense” bill.

He admitted that the measure had a chance of passing in the Senate. “I assume that the National Rifle Association is behind the majority in the Senate co-sponsoring the bill,” Hathaway said.

Eric Howard, spokesman for the Brady Campaign, said the legislation is “very dangerous” and gives special immunity to the gun industry.