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Statement By NRA Chief Lobbyist, James J. Baker, On The Decision By The 5th Circuit Court Of Appeals

Wednesday, October 17, 2001

The National Rifle Association (NRA) is gratified by the decision of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that clearly reaffirms the accurate interpretation of the Second Amendment; that it protects the right of individuals to privately possess and bear their own firearms.

This is clear corroboration of what reputable historians and constitutional scholars have said consistently; that the Second Amendment, like other rights, is an individual right designed to protect rights of the people, not to expand the powers of government. The Court’s clear rejection of “collective rights” theories should put an end to further politically charged efforts by special interest groups to undermine the clear intent of our founders as expressed in the Bill of Rights.

The Emerson case represented the culmination of years of efforts by the Clinton-Gore Administration to undermine Americans’ Second Amendment rights. When the Clinton Justice Department argued in the 5th Circuit that there is no individual right, we took that argument to America’s millions of gun owners to underscore the stakes of Election 2000. And they denied Al Gore the White House because of it.

Now, our client -- the Second Amendment -- has had its day in court. And the Second Amendment has emerged victorious as well. NRA members and all of America’s law-abiding gun owners can be equally proud of this victory as they were in helping elect a pro-Second Amendment President and Vice-President last November.

Read the court`s decision

 

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Virginia: More Gun Control Bills Filed Including Semi-Auto Ban and Tax on Suppressors!

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Virginia: More Gun Control Bills Filed Including Semi-Auto Ban and Tax on Suppressors!

Anti-gun legislators in Richmond have been busy ahead of the 2026 legislative session working on ways to burden your Second Amendment rights.

Sole Remaining Municipal Gun-Industry Lawsuit Grinds to Final Defeat

News  

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Sole Remaining Municipal Gun-Industry Lawsuit Grinds to Final Defeat

In 1999, when the rest of the country was fretting over the potential Y2K disruption of worldwide computer systems, the City of Gary, Indiana launched its lawsuit against handgun manufacturers, retailers and a wholesaler, raising ...

Bans for 3D Blueprints: New York Governor Pushes Anti-Gun, Anti-Speech Proposals

News  

Monday, January 12, 2026

Bans for 3D Blueprints: New York Governor Pushes Anti-Gun, Anti-Speech Proposals

Manufactured panic has frequently been used to lay the policy foundation for legislative and legal efforts meant to ban legally manufactured and lawfully owned firearms.

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

In September, the North Carolina General Assembly briefly returned from recess and re-referred Senate Bill 50, Freedom to Carry NC, to the House Rules Committee.

Gun Control Honcho “Certain” that Federal Agents with Guns “Do Not Make Us Safer”

News  

Monday, January 12, 2026

Gun Control Honcho “Certain” that Federal Agents with Guns “Do Not Make Us Safer”

Gun control advocates have gone to great lengths to rebrand themselves as mere proponents of “commonsense gun safety measures.” 

New Jersey: Senate Adds Pair of Gun Bills To Monday’s Agenda

Saturday, January 10, 2026

New Jersey: Senate Adds Pair of Gun Bills To Monday’s Agenda

The year may have changed, but the mission of anti-gun lawmakers in Trenton has not.   Late Friday, the legislature posted two anti-Second Amendment bills for floor action Monday, January 12 in the Senate.

Crisis Management in the Land Down Under: All Roads Lead to Gun Control, Buybacks

News  

Monday, January 12, 2026

Crisis Management in the Land Down Under: All Roads Lead to Gun Control, Buybacks

After the terrorist attack on December 14th at Australia’s Bondi Beach, it was revealed that one of the two alleged perpetrators, Naveed Akram, had come to the attention of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in October ...

Ninth Circuit Panel Rules California’s Open Carry Ban is Unconstitutional

Monday, January 5, 2026

Ninth Circuit Panel Rules California’s Open Carry Ban is Unconstitutional

On Friday, Jan. 3, a divided three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that California’s ban on open carry in counties with a population of greater than 200,000 ...

U.S. DOJ and 25 States File Amicus Briefs Supporting NRA Challenge to California Ammunition Regulations

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

U.S. DOJ and 25 States File Amicus Briefs Supporting NRA Challenge to California Ammunition Regulations

The U.S. Department of Justice and a coalition of 25 states have each filed amicus briefs in Rhode v. Bonta, a case backed by the National Rifle Association and California Rifle and Pistol Association challenging California’s ...

Pennsylvania: 2026 Legislative Session Convenes

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Pennsylvania: 2026 Legislative Session Convenes

On Tuesday, January 6th, the Pennsylvania Legislature began the 2026 legislative session. As in 2025, lawmakers are expected to introduce both pro-gun and anti-gun bills this year. Gun owners and sportsmen throughout the state must stay actively involved ...

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NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.