ALERT US TO AND ATTEND TOWN HALL MEETINGS
Congress is currently on its Spring District Work Period until April 16. During this time, your Senators and Representative will be back home in their respective states and districts. Many lawmakers use this time to hold town hall meetings, where they can report on what they`ve been doing in Washington, and take questions from their constituents. These meetings afford you an opportunity to personally voice your strong support for the District of Columbia Personal Protection Act (bills S. 1414 and H.R. 3193)—legislation seeking to restore the constitutionally-guaranteed Second Amendment rights of the residents of the District of Columbia—and your staunch opposition to legislation that seeks to reenact or expand the 1994 Clinton gun ban (S. 1034, S. 1431, H.R. 2038, and H.R. 3831). Please contact your lawmakers` district offices and ask when they plan to hold their town hall meetings during the break. If you do not know the number for your lawmakers` district offices, you can use the "Write Your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org, or call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683.
If you get a chance to meet with your lawmakers, we once again urge you to:
Ask your senators to cosponsor and support S. 1414, and to oppose S. 1034 and S. 1431. Encourage your U.S. Representative to support H.R. 3193 and to oppose H.R. 2038.
In addition to attending town hall meetings and speaking out in support of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms, please forward the dates, times, and locations of any town hall meetings to your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners, and to the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division, so we may compile this information and share it with the pro-gun community. Please forward this information to the Grassroots Division by calling (800) 392-8683, by faxing to (703) 267-3918, or by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Also, please take advantage of this recess to try and schedule personal meetingswith your lawmakers and/or their staffs in their district offices to discuss these issues.
For a current list of these meetings, please visit www.NRAILA.org, choose "Get Involved Locally," and then click the "Event Calendar."
PLAN TO ATTEND FREE PITTSBURGH GRASSROOTS WORKSHOP !
The NRA-ILA Grassroots Division will host a FREE Grassroots Workshop in conjunction with NRA`s Annual Meetings in Pittsburgh. This Workshop has been a regular part of NRA`s Annual Meetings for a decade. At this event, you will hear from NRA officers, staff, and your fellow NRA members on what you can do in your own community to ensure victory for the Second Amendment in this year`s elections.
We will also discuss how you can work with your local Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC). Your EVC is a local NRA member who is working with the various pro-gun campaigns in his area to provide critically-needed volunteer support for a variety of activities, including: phone banks, precinct walks, literature drops, voter registration drives, Get Out The Vote & Election Day activities, etc. EVCs also promote NRA-ILA`s legislative agenda at the federal and state levels.
With the 2004 elections in full swing, it is critical that we start implementing our grassroots battle plan to ensure we are ready to meet these electoral challenges head on as Election Day 2004 approaches. Rest assured, the anti-gunners are already re-doubling their efforts to ensure the defeat of pro-Second Amendment candidates in critical elections across the country, so we must ensure we are prepared to defeat their efforts at every turn.
Workshop details are:
NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshop-FREE! Friday, April 16, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon
(Registration & free continental breakfast- 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.)
Allegheny Ballroom II, Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh Hotel
1000 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222
To reserve your seat, or for more information, please call NRA-ILA at
(800) 392-8683. You may also register on-line at http://www.nraam.org/seminars/grassroots.asp. We hope to see you in Pittsburgh on Friday, April 16!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR 133rd NRA ANNUAL MEETINGS & EXHIBITS!
The 2004 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits will be held in Pittsburgh, Pa., April 16-18, and your NRA is looking for dedicated members to volunteer and assist with various projects necessary to stage another successful Annual Meeting. The NRA Annual Meetings are the most exciting and satisfying NRA event of the year, and by joining our team of volunteers, you will play an integral role in putting the NRA`s best foot forward, while we are in the national spotlight.
There are several areas where you can volunteer: Membership Services, Fraternal Sales, Exhibitor Registration, Firearms Safety Inspection, and Airgun Range.
NRA staff, Annual Meetings Exhibitors, and the tens of thousands of your fellow NRA members attending the Annual Meetings will greatly appreciate any time or assistance you can lend. If you would like to volunteer your time, or would like more information, please contact: Brian Hyder, Eastern Region Director, NRA Field Operations Division, 144 Hailey Drive, Franklin, NC, 28734, Office: (828) 524-9480, e-mail: [email protected].
NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS ELECTION WORKSHOPS
In preparation for the 2004 elections, NRA-ILA is hosting FREE Grassroots-Election Workshops across the country. These Workshops provide NRA members with training on what they can do locally to propel pro-gun candidates to victory in 2004. The meetings also provide a venue for lawmakers, candidates, and their staffs to reach out to NRA members and explain their positions on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
Upcoming Workshops are slated for:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — 4/16/04
(in conjunction with NRA`s Annual Meetings)
South Portland, Maine —5/1/04
(see additional details under "A LOOK AT THE STATES")
Allentown, Pennsylvania—5/20/04
Reading, Pennsylvania—5/22/04
NRA members who are interested in attending should contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) for details and to reserve their spots. NRA members who have access to the Internet can also go to www.nraila.org/workshops/ to reserve their spots on-line.
A LOOK AT THE STATES
FLORIDA
HB-155 (companion bill to SB 1152 by Senator Durell Peaden (R-2)), legislation that prohibits any form of gun registration in Florida, PASSED the House yesterday by a vote of 86-32 (more than a 2/3s majority). Introduced by Representative Lindsay Harrington (R-72), HB-155 had previously passed the House 81-35 but was amended in the Senate (with our concurrence) before being passed by the Senate last week on a vote of 29-9 (again, more than a 2/3s majority). The bill now goes to the Governor. HB-149/SB-1156, legislation to stop government lawsuits against shooting ranges, PASSED the Senate 33-6 (once again, more than a 2/3s majority). It is still in the House awaiting final passage. Your help in contacting your legislators in support of these bills was of tremendous help in getting them passed. Please let Representative Harrington and House Speaker Johnnie Byrd (R-62), know you appreciate their outstanding work on these bills.
ILLINOIS
Prepare for a battle over so-called "assault weapons!" Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) stated this week that he will veto legislation passed out of the House that seeks to lower to 18, the age at which a person can sign for his own Firearm Owner`s Identification (FOID) Card unless the legislature also sends him a bill to ban certain semi-automatic firearms. Governor Blagojevich made his threat after The Chicago Tribune challenged him to take just such a position. The March 30, morning edition of the Tribune ran an editorial stating "Blagojevich`s office says he is willing to sign" the FOID Card bill, but then instructed, "If the governor wants to sign a bill ... he ought to demand something in return." In fact, the Tribune even gave Blagojevich specific instructions to follow the lead of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (D) and support banning so-called "assault weapons" as part of what he should get in return for signing the FOID Card bill. Although Blagojevich`s office had initially indicated the Governor simply would sign a FOID Card bill, the governor reacted quickly to the prodding of the Tribune, as well as demands made by Daley. Governor Blagojevich held a press conference mere hours after the Tribune editorial hit the streets, announcing he would only sign a FOID Card bill if the legislature would help him to ban guns. Please be sure to call your state lawmakers and urge them to oppose this flip-flop on the part of Governor Blagojevich, and oppose any legislation that seeks to ban firearms. Also, be sure to contact Governor Blagojevich and politely urge him to reject the pressure from the Tribune and Mayor Daley, and simply support the FOID Card bill as he originally stated he would. In addition, be sure to encourage your State Senator to support HB 3989, and your State Representative to support SB 2163, the FOID Card bills that passed out of the House and Senate, respectively, last week. The House also passed HB 4075 last week, which seeks to provide an affirmative defense for a gun owner if he uses a firearm prohibited by local ordinance in defense of himself or others. Finally, last week the Senate passed both SB 2165, which mirrors HB 4075, and SB 2386, which seeks to prohibit civil suits against a gun owner who uses a firearm to defend himself or others. Please take the time to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to support all of these reforms, and ask them to oppose any efforts to ban firearms. The Senate can be reached by calling (217) 782-4517, the House can be reached at (217) 782-8223 and the Governor at (217)-782-6830.
KANSAS
HB 2798, the "Personal and Family Protection Act," will provide law-abiding gun owners the ability to protect themselves and their loved ones. This bill passed the House and Senate and is now heading to the Governor`s office. Please contact Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) at (785) 296-3232 and respectfully urge her to support HB 2798 and the right of law-abiding Kansans to defend themselves. Also, please contact your legislators at (785) 296-2391 and thank them for supporting HB 2798.
MAINE
In opposition to an anti-bear hunting ballot initiative question on the November 2, 2004, ballot, NRA-ILA is hosting a FREE Grassroots-Election Workshop in South Portland on May 1. The Workshop and related materials, including food & drink, are FREE! At the Workshop, you will hear from organizations in Maine that are working to protect your sporting and outdoors traditions, NRA-ILA representatives, and NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinators (EVCs) on what you can do locally to ensure this initiative is defeated on Election Day. Your EVC is a local NRA member who is working closely with NRA-ILA to defeat this bear initiative by providing critically-needed volunteer support for a variety of activities. Rest assured, anti-hunting extremists are already working full force in the Pine Tree State to ensure the passage of this initiative. We must be prepared to defeat their efforts at every turn. The Workshop will be held on Saturday, May 1, from 9:00 a.m. - Noon, at the South Portland Marriott, 200 Sable Oaks Drive, South Portland. Registration and breakfast will be from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. For additional information, please call (207) 871-8000. To reserve your seat, please visit /workshops/. To register by phone or for more information, please call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683).
MARYLAND
Senate Bill 288, the Maryland Assault Weapons Ban, was defeated in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee today by a vote of 6-5. This onerous bill would have banned many semi-automatic firearms commonly used for hunting and competitive shooting. Many thanks go out to NRA members in Maryland who made calls to their legislators and attended the Committee hearings on this bill. The defeat of this ban is because of your steadfast efforts!
MICHIGAN
The Michigan Dove Bill, HB 5029, passed in the Senate on a 22-15 vote. This historic legislation returns to the House for concurrence on amendment and then will be sent to the Governor`s office. Please call Governor Jennifer
Granholm (D) at (517) 373-3400, and respectfully urge her to support HB 5029. For a list of Senators who supported the legislation, please visit www.NRAILA.org.
MISSOURI
On April 1, the Senate Judiciary passed out of committee Senate Bill 1332. Sponsored by Senator Harold Caskey (D-31), this bill authorizes all county sheriffs to pay the costs and expenses for activities related to the issuing of handgun carry permits from their revolving fund. This legislation will fix the Right-to-Carry funding problems outlined by the Supreme Court in its recent decision by allowing sheriffs in all counties to issue Right-to-Carry permits. Please continue to contact your State Senator, and respectfully urge him to support SB 1332. The main information number is (573) 751-3824. You can find further contact information for your Legislator by using the "Write Your Representatives" feature at www.NRAILA.org.
