HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
CONTINUES WORK ON H.R. 800
On Wednesday, May 18, the House Judiciary Committee met to continue debating amendments to H.R. 800, the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act," sponsored by Reps. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.). The legislation has 254 cosponsors.
Anti-gun members of the committee offered a series of amendments that had no purpose except to try and score political points--including one by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) to eliminate the bill's statement that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms. Scott and his supporters, including Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Maxine Waters (D-Cal.), argued that the Second Amendment wasn't intended to protect individuals' self-defense rights--a theory long discredited by modern Second Amendment scholars.
Pro-Second Amendment Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) led supporters of the bill in responding to the opponents, and soundly defeating all the anti-gun amendments.
Unfortunately, the "mark up" session was interrupted by other House business, but we expect the bill will be taken up again at an upcoming Judiciary Committee meeting. In the meantime, please continue to contact your U.S. Representative and Senators in support of H.R. 800 and its Senate counterpart, S. 397--without any anti-gun amendments.
To access the most up-to-date information on this issue, and to find out if your lawmaker is a cosponsor, please go to the "Help Save America's Firearms Industry" heading at www.NRAILA.org. This function will allow you to easily send an e-mail or letter to your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators. Please forward this link to your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners.
For additional information on effectively communicating with your lawmakers, please go to: http://www.nraila.org/CurrentLegislation/ActionAlerts/Read.aspx?ID=274 (Grassroots Alert, Vol. 12, No. 12).
SENATE VERSION OF D.C.'s PERSONAL PROTECTION ACT INTRODUCED
Companion legislation in the U.S. Senate to H.R. 1288--the House version of the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act"--has been introduced by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.), with 30 Senate cosponsors. The bill number is S. 1082. H.R. 1288 currently has 128 cosponsors.
As does its House counterpart, S. 1082 seeks to restore the constitutionally-guaranteed Second Amendment rights of the residents of the District of Columbia. The need for this legislation is obvious. While effectively banning handgun ownership for over a quarter-century, Washington, D.C. consistently has one of the highest homicide rates in the nation. "D.C.'s politicians have stripped law-abiding residents of their ability to defend themselves and their families," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. "Passage of the ‘District of Columbia Personal Protection Act' will remedy this senseless and dangerous injustice."
Please be sure to contact your U.S. Senators and Representative and ask them to cosponsor and support S. 1082 & H.R. 1288.
NEW HUNTING WEBLOG CREATED
NRA-ILA has created a new weblog all about hunting issues. The blog, called "Digger's Corner," will be moderated by our Manager of Hunting Policy and will include updates on legislation as well as some more lighthearted content. It will also offer an opportunity for people to send their own pictures and stories for possible posting to the blog.
We hope that "Digger's Corner" will be a useful tool to keep hunters up-to-date on what's going on around the country and why it is so important that we stand together to protect our rights. You can visit "Digger's Corner: by going to http://www.NRAILA.org/HuntingAndConservation/diggerscorner, or by clicking on the link in the hunting page of www.NRAILA.org.
Please take a moment to visit the page and tell your family, friends and fellow hunters about it as well.
SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR
2004 NRA-ILA VOLUNTEER AWARDS
The "NRA-ILA Jay M. Littlefield Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award" is an annual honor that recognizes an individual NRA member who demonstrates exceptionally meritorious activism in defense of our Second Amendment rights. Similarly, the "NRA-ILA Volunteer Organization of the Year Award" is bestowed upon a group that has gone above and beyond the call of duty in defending our freedom over the past year.
All nominations must be submitted by NRA members in good standing and be accompanied by a one page description of why the nominee is deserving. Winners will be selected by NRA-ILA staff, and will be acknowledged at this Fall's NRA Board of Directors Meeting.
Nominations for these honors for last year (2004) should be submitted to:
NRA-ILA Volunteer Awards
c/o Jennifer Bradey
NRA-ILA Grassroots Division
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA, 22030.
Nominations may also be faxed to Jennifer at (703) 267-3918, or e-mailed to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions is July 1, 2005.
A LOOK AT THE STATES
(****For all of the action items below, you can find contact information for your legislators by using the "Write Your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org. As always, thank you for your support****)
CALIFORNIA
The California Assembly will consider Assembly Bill 352 and AB 996 at any time. AB 352 expands the definition of "unsafe handguns" to include semi-automatic pistols that are not designed and equipped with an array of microscopic characters which identify the make, model, and serial number of the pistol by imprinting the character on each cartridge case when the firearm is discharged. This legislation could essentially ban all semi- automatic pistols commonly used by California gun owners. AB 996 would require all retailers to display and sell ammunition in a manner that is only accessible by an employee, not the purchaser. Any violation of this measure would result in a misdemeanor. This bill has been voted down twice during the 2005 Legislative Session because existing law already makes it a crime to sell ammunition to a minor or ammunition designed for a handgun to anyone less than 21 years of age. Please continue to contact members of the Assembly through Monday, May 23, and ask them to oppose AB 352 and AB 996. Assembly Members can be reached at (916) 319-20 (plus your 2-digit district number for the last two numbers). A hearing date has been set for Monday, May 23, in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Senate Bill 357. This bill would establish a program requiring serialization of handgun ammunition to be enforced by the Department of Justice. The manufacture, transfer, and possession of non-serialized handgun ammunition after July 1, 2007, would be considered a crime. SB 357 would also require ammunition vendors and manufacturers to register with the Department of Justice. Unfortunately, this anti-gun legislation is expected to pass out of Committee. Please continue to contact members of the Senate Appropriations Committee at (916) 651-4101, and ask them to oppose SB 357. Also, please begin contacting members of the Senate and ask them to vote "NO" on SB 357.
CONNECTICUT
Failing to garner the support to get HB 6657, "The Gun Traffickers Protection Act," beyond the Public Safety Committee, proponents of the bill have resorted to pushing for the proposal as an amendment to another bill. While the anti-gunners claim that the measure, which would make the failure to report a lost or stolen firearm within 72 hours a crime, would help law enforcement, it will do just the opposite. It will actually make life easier for criminals--allowing them to cover up a "straw purchase" by filing a false police report. The only people who have anything to lose are law-abiding citizens, who could face prosecution if they fail to make the report because they did not know of the loss or theft, and are not able to prove it. This is not about public safety. Instead, it is about the anti-gun crowd's need to score another victory at the expense of gun owners. Please call your lawmakers TODAY and urge them to oppose any amendment containing the "Gun Traffickers Protection Act" language.
ILLINOIS
Anti-gun extremists from Chicago are pulling out all the stops to push their agenda, and the pro-gun community needs to counter this offensive. Although the Senatehas already defeated one attack on gun shows (SB 546), another, SB 1333, has surfaced. It is critical that you contact your Senator and ask him/her to oppose SB 1333. In addition, keep calling your Representative and ask him/her to oppose HB 1098, a ban on .50 cal. rifles, and HB 2414, a ban on certain semi-automatic rifles and shotguns as well as .50 cal. rifles. Illinois continues to be a state plagued by an anti-gun agenda, and defeating these bills is of paramount importance. These bills are expected to be voted on soon, so contact your Illinois lawmakers today using the General Assembly switchboard at (217) 782-2000, and urge your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners to do the same. On the positive side, SB 57, a gun show bill that also requires the Illinois State Police to destroy the database it keeps on lawful firearm purchases, was voted out of the House on Thursday, May 19. This database is nothing more than a back door registration scheme that was never voted on by the Illinois General Assembly, and runs contrary to federal law that mandates the destruction of all personal information regarding firearm transfers that have not been denied through the National Instant Check System. SB 57 now heads back to the Senate for concurrence. In addition, the House passed SB 53, which seeks to allow the mail order sale of ammunition to Illinois FOID card holders, and is now in the hands of Governor Blagojevich (D). Finally, the Senate passed HB 340, which would waive the waiting period requirement when a gun owner trades one operating firearm for another operating firearm. Please be sure to call Governor Blagojevich at (217) 782-6830 and ask him to sign SB 53 and HB 340.
MINNESOTA
The Minnesota House of Representatives passed a bill re-enacting the "Personal Protection Act" that was struck down by the courts last month. The bill now goes to the Governor's desk for his signature. The quick action by the House and Senate on this bill shows that Right-to-Carry was a success in Minnesota before an activist judge struck down the law on a technicality. Members should thank the bill sponsor Senator Pat Pariseau (R-36) and Speaker of the House Steve Sviggum (R-28B) for their hard work on this important bill.
NEW JERSEY
On May 21, the Salem County Sportsmen's Club and South Jersey Sportsmen, Inc. will host the third annual "NRA Day"—a free day of gun safety and recreational shooting instruction for the entire family. The event will be held at the Sportsmen's Club from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. "NRA Day" activities include: rifle and handgun shooting; an air gun range for children with adult supervision; and a special exhibit, "Firearms in America," by the South Jersey Arms Collectors, which will feature a number of historically significant firearms. All firearms, targets, ammunition, and eye and ear protection will be provided. The event is free and open to the public. The club is located on eastbound U.S. Route 40 in Carney's Point. For more information, please call Bob Viden at (856) 881-7575.
NEW YORK
As anticipated, several anti-gun bills moved to the Assembly floor this week. A 673 creates the crimes of failure to store a firearm "safely" and criminally negligent storage of a firearm. A 2302 would prohibit the retail sale of a handgun which does not contain a "child proofing" or integrated safety device. A 2345 would impose new restrictions on firearms dealers. These measures are expected to be considered by the full Assembly as soon as Tuesday, May 24. Please contact your Assembly Member today and urge him/her to oppose A 673, A 2302, and A 2345! A 4471 is now being considered in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. A 4471 would ban the sale, use, and possession of .50 caliber firearms. Unfortunately, this anti-gun legislation is expected to pass out of Committee and on to the Assembly floor. Please also contact your Assembly Member today and urge him/her to oppose A 4471.
OREGON
NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC) Curt Greer (OR-4) needs your help in supporting our Armed Forces. Curt entered a float in last year's Veteran's Day Parade representing NRA and the award-winning Eddie Eagle Gun Safe® Program, and is entering it again in this year's Armed Forces Day Parade. Volunteers are needed to help assemble the float and to also participate in the parade. The parade will begin on Main Street, in Cottage Grove, on May 21, at 9:00 a.m. To volunteer your time for this worthy event, or for additional information, please contact Curt Greer by phone at (541) 746-7806 or by e-mail at [email protected].
SOUTH CAROLINA
On Thursday, May 19, an amendment that completely guts the original intent of H 3110, the Right-to-Carry reciprocity bill, was passed by the South Carolina Senate. The new language makes the existing law even more restrictive by spelling out specific requirements that other states must meet in their permit issuing process before the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) can enter into a reciprocal agreement. In fact, the new language is so much more restrictive than existing law that several states that are currently recognized by South Carolina could be removed from the existing reciprocity list. It appears that SLED has been working overtime to derail the original intent of H 3110, which was to simply remove SLED's discretionary power for determining reciprocal states. In the nine years since South Carolina adopted its shall-issue Right-to-Carry law, SLED has approved only nine states for reciprocity, several of which were approved only in an apparent response to NRA's recent push to remove SLED's discretion. Unfortunately, several Senators who had solid pro-gun records in the past have sided with SLED and anti-gun Senator Robert Ford (D-42) to introduce Thursday's poison-pill amendment. Those Senators need to hear from the pro-gun community immediately!
Please contact:
Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell (R-41) at (803) 212-6610
Senator Larry Martin (R-2) at (803) 212-6340
Senator Jim Ritchie (R-13) at (803) 212-6032
Senator John "Jake" Knotts at (803) 212-6024.
Please also contact Governor Mark Sanford at (803) 734-2100 and ask the Governor to ensure SLED removes its objections to NRA-supported language for H 3110. Finally, please call your State Representative and ask him/her to support amending H 3110 when it comes to the House for a concurrence vote, and to support only NRA-approved language that will ensure South Carolina will recognize the Right-to-Carry permits issued by other states, and vice versa.
TEXAS
This week, the Senate Criminal Justice Committee reported out the following NRA-backed bills: HB 823 by Representative Terry Keel (R-Austin) and Senator Juan Hinojosa (D-McAllen), which takes important steps toward clarifying that law-abiding Texans may carry a handgun for protection in their vehicles without a Concealed Handgun License (CHL); HB 1038 by Representative Carl Isett (R-Lubbock) and Senator Kim Brimer (R-Fort Worth), which reduces CHL renewal fees for senior citizens by 50% (to $35); and HB 1483 by Representative Stephen Frost (D-Atlanta) and Senator Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler), which expands the methods of payments for CHL applicants and lowers fees for duplicate, modified, or replacement licenses from $25 to $10. All three bills move to the Senate floor for consideration in the final week of session. Please contact your State Senators and urge them to support HB 823, HB 1038, & HB 1483! Also this week, the Senate approved HB 322 by Representative Suzanna Hupp (R-Lampasas) and Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls), which lowers the minimum age requirement for a CHL from 21 to 18 for active military personnel and also lowers CHL application fees for our soldiers. HB 322 has been sent back to the House for concurrence with Senate amendments. Finally, Please join TX-19 Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC) Robert Pratt and the Lubbock County Republican Party for a special viewing of "The Great U.N. Gun Debate." This debate was recently held between NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and Rebecca Peters of the International Action Network on Small Arms. This historic debate will be shown on a large screen on Monday, May 23, at 6:30 p.m., and is completely FREE OF CHARGE! The event will be held at 4601 South Loop 289, Second Floor, in the Salem Village Shopping Center, behind McDougal Realtors. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Robert Pratt at (806) 791-3923, or visit http://www.lubbockgop.org/.
