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Grassroots Alert: Vol. 12, No. 32 8/12/2005

ATTEND TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND
URGE PASSAGE OF S. 397 IN U.S. HOUSE 

As you know, the U.S. Senate recently passed S. 397--the  "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act"--by a strong bipartisan vote of 65-31!  This action represents a great victory and a vitally important first step toward ending the anti-gun lobby's shameless attempts to bankrupt the firearm industry through reckless, predatory lawsuits.  It also represents a crucial step forward for law-abiding firearm manufacturers, retailers and owners in this country.

As we reported last week, there has been some discussion of late concerning two amendments to S. 397.  The first, by Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.), requires federally licensed dealers to provide a "secure gun storage or safety device" with the sale/transfer of every handgun (it does not apply to long guns).  The measure, which passed by a vote of 70-30, does not require gun owners to use the device, does not apply to private transfers, and does not create any new civil liability for gun owners who choose not to use these storage devices. Virtually all new handguns today are sold with some type of secure storage or safety device.  The amendment has no significant impact on current law.

The second measure--an amendment by Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho)--was passed by an overwhelming margin of 87-11, and was offered this year (as it was in 2004) in a successful attempt to defeat Senator Edward Kennedy's "armor piercing" ammunition amendment that would have banned all centerfire rifle ammunition.  By providing an alternative to Senator Kennedy's amendment, pro-gun senators were able to marshal the votes to defeat the Kennedy amendment.

The amendment only restates the existing prohibition on manufacture, or on sale by manufacturers, of "armor piercing ammunition," except for government use, for export, or for use in testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.  This law has been in effect for nearly two decades.  It increases the mandatory minimum sentence for the use of "armor piercing ammunition" in a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime.  Use of armor piercing ammunition in a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime is already a federal offense punishable by 5 years in prison; the amendment increases the penalty to 15 years, and authorizes the death penalty if the ammunition is used in a murder.  It also directs the Attorney General to conduct a study "to determine whether a uniform standard for the testing of projectiles against Body Armor is feasible."  In fact, we know such a standard is "feasible" because the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has been testing projectiles against body armor since the early 1970s, and has regularly written and updated the standards for testing projectiles against armor.  NIJ's research has saved lives by improving the design and manufacture of body armor.

The amendment does not give the Attorney General (or anyone else) any new authority to ban ammunition, nor does it change the definition of "armor piercing ammunition."  Under current law, ammunition is only "armor piercing" if it has a bullet that "may be used in a handgun" and that is made entirely from certain hard metals such as tungsten, steel, bronze or depleted uranium; or if the bullet is "designed and intended for use in a handgun" and has a jacket that weighs more than 25% of the weight of the projectile.  The current definition has been in place for more than 12 years. And finally, the amendment does not create any kind of new ammunition ban.  The only ammunition that is banned as "armor piercing" is ammunition that fits the current definition, and neither the amendment nor the study would change the definition.

As the battle now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives, it is critical that you once again contact your U.S. Representative and urge him/her to pass S. 397, as passed by the Senate!

With Congress out for its  "Summer District Work Period" (through September 5), 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.  Now is the time for you to personally voice your strong support for S. 397 (in addition to S. 1082 and H.R. 1288--the Senate and House versions of the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act").  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, be sure to:  Urge Your U.S. Representative To Support S. 397; And Urge Your U.S. Senators And Representative To Cosponsor And Support S. 1082/H.R. 1288.

In addition to attending 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].

We can and will achieve our mutual goal of finally enacting this common sense law, but only with your continued assistance.  Please help us finish the job once and for all by contacting your U.S. Representative and urging him/her to support the  "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act," and send the bill to President Bush.

SOMETIMES THE ENEMY WEARS CAMOUFLAGE

You might have recently heard of a new organization claiming to represent hunters and gun owners.  The new group calls itself the American Hunters and Shooters Association, a friendly sounding name designed to earn the trust of gun owners and hunters.  The reality is that AHSA is nothing more than the enemy in camouflage.

At first glance, everything about AHSA sounds just fine.  They even have one useful tool on the website, a history of wildlife conservation laws in America--strange thing is it was lifted nearly word for word from www.NRAILA.org.

In their "Firearms Safety and Training" section we begin to see some curious remarks.  For instance in the "Range Safety" section they never once mention that firearms should always be pointed downrange, the first rule in range safety.  Another section recommends that shooters use steel wool to clean the barrels of their guns, an idea that makes most gunsmiths cringe.  The rest of their safety tips appear to be written by someone who has never hunted.  Never once do they mention the three basic rules of safe gun handling by which all shooters know and abide.

A look deeper into the AHSA website quickly reveals that this is no hunters' rights group.  You quickly realize that they want to allow the FBI to keep records on law-abiding citizens who buy guns and put an end to gun shows as we know them.  Not to mention the fact that they want to regulate .50 caliber rifles in the same way that machine guns are regulated.

The most telling thing about AHSA is its leadership.  A quick look at their website shows that Bob Ricker is listed as AHSA Executive Director.  Readers will remember that Ricker is a former NRA employee who switched sides and has actively worked for gun control groups for many years now.  A few years ago, Ricker was part of an attempt to sell out your rights by brokering a deal with the most anti-gun administration in history.  He then appeared with Bill Clinton in a White House photo-op.  Most recently Ricker was paid by a Virginia based anti-gun group, where he lobbied to shut down gun shows and put further restrictions on gun owners.

A little further down in the leadership section John Rosenthal is listed as President of the AHSA Foundation.  Rosenthal is one of the founders of the Massachusetts based group Stop Handgun Violence, a group that has been a major force in passing some of the most Draconian state gun laws in the nation.  Gun laws that Rosenthal would like to see exported to other states.

With leadership like that, there is no doubt about the true goals of AHSA.  They are trying to fool hunters and gun owners with a soft sell--a la John Kerry--while working behind the scenes to end the sport that we all love.  I fully expect that in the 2006 elections we will see anti-gun Congressional candidates boasting about their AHSA endorsements.  Unfortunately, some gun owners will be fooled by this ploy, so help us spread the word that AHSA isn't what it claims to be.

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 Legislature reconvenes from summer recess on Monday, August 15.  Upon adjournment, anti-gun Assembly Bill 352 was re-referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriations.  It is expected to be considered on Monday, August 15.  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 characters on each cartridge case when the firearm is discharged. This legislation could essentially ban all semi-automatic pistols commonly used by California gun owners.  Please contact members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and ask them to oppose AB 352.  For a list of committee members and their contact information, please visit www.sen.ca.gov.  Assembly Bill 996 is on the Senate Floor where it is likely to pass, and will soon be back on the Assembly Floor for a final vote.  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 contact members of the Senate and Assembly and ask them to oppose AB 996.  Senate Bill 357 sponsor Senator Joseph Dunn (D-34), is postponing further hearings on this bill until next year.  This means that, if the legislature passes it in 2006 and the Governor signs it, SB 357 could not become law until January 1, 2007.  The amended version of this bill requires that all handgun ammunition carry a unique serial number engraved on both the bullet and the case and be registered to the purchaser.  SB 357 bans the manufacture, transfer, and possession of non-serialized handgun ammunition after July 1, 2009, and possession of non-serialized ammunition would be a crime.  SB 357 would also require ammunition vendors and manufacturers to register with the Department of Justice.  Despite postponement, please continue contacting members of the Assembly and ask them to oppose SB 357.  Postponement of SB 357 can be canceled at anytime and hearings would continue on short notice.  For Assembly and Senate members' contact information, please visit www.assembly.ca.gov or www.sen.ca.gov

ILLINOIS
Governor Blagojevich (D) has acted on several bills NRA took positions on this session--some good, some bad.  Signed into law are:  SB 123, an NRA-backed bill that no longer requires Social Security numbers to be included on hunting licenses; SB 2103, an NRA-backed bill that makes improvements to the existing range protection law; and HB 132, an NRA-backed bill that establishes the waiting periods on firearm transfers begins when an agreement to transfer is made, rather than when a background check is called in.  In addition, Blagojevich signed SB 1333, an NRA-opposed bill that imposes new restrictions on gun shows.  The Governor has also vetoed several NRA-backed bills.  They are:  SB 57, which is similar to SB 1333, but included a mandate that the State Police destroy the database it currently maintains on lawful firearm transfers; SB 2104, which would set statewide standards for transporting firearms in vehicles; and HB 340, which would require the waiting period on firearm transfers be waived in cases where a law-abiding citizen is simply trading one operating firearm for another.  Still pending action by the Governor at this time are:  SB 53, which would allow the mail-order sale of ammunition to valid FOID card holders; and SB 251, which would limit the liability a land owner could potentially face if he allows hunting or hunting-related activities (without charging a fee) on his property.  NRA will continue to monitor SB 53 and SB 251, and work to override the Governor's vetoes of SB 57, SB 2104, and HB 340 during the Fall Veto Session in November, so please call your State Representative and Senator and urge them to work with the pro-gun community to support our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. 

NEW YORK
The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association will host the first annual RPA-PAC fundraising dinner featuring NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, and  NRA 1st Vice President John Sigler.  Please plan to attend the dinner, which will start at 6:00 p.m., on Saturday, September 17, and will be held at the Holiday Inn, Fishkill, located at I-84, exit 13 at Route 9.  Advance tickets are available for $50 or you can purchase tickets at the door for $60.  To purchase tickets, please visit www.nysrpa.org or call (518) 272-2654 or (800) 469-7772. 

OHIO
Come out to the Lorain County Fair and meet your NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC) at the NRA Volunteer Tent!  OH-09 EVC Emory King is hosting the first ever NRA Volunteer Tent at the fair, which runs from Monday, August 22-Sunday, August 28.  The fair is located on Fairgrounds Road a half-mile west of the center of Wellington, Ohio, at Routes 58 & 18. Emory is an NRA member who, in his volunteer leadership capacity as EVC, works with and organizes volunteers to affect firearm-related legislation in Ohio and on Capitol Hill.  He also assists pro-gun candidates with phone banks, literature drops, voter registration drives, precinct walks, and other campaign activities.  For information, questions, or to help out at the tent, please contact EVC Emory King at (440) 647-4299 or via e-mail at [email protected].  (Fair details, such as hours and events, can be found at www.loraincountyfair.com.)  Please be sure to stop by the NRA Volunteer Tent to meet your EVC and learn how you can make a difference in the gun control debate.  Emory is also looking for volunteers to help out at the tent for a few hours, so please contact Emory and ask how you can help make the NRA Volunteer Tent a huge success! 

SOUTH CAROLINA
There will be two special elections held on Tuesday, August 16.  The first, for State House District 24, is a Republican Primary to determine who will face Democrat Michelle Shain in a Special General Election on October 4.  This seat opened when David Wilkins (R) was appointed by President Bush (R) to become the U.S. Ambassador to Canada.  The second, for State House District 121, pits Jennifer Bailey (R) against Kenneth Hodges (D) in a Special General Election to fill the seat left open by the death of Representative Walter Lloyd (D), who died in April.  NRA members in these districts are encouraged to call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683, for information on the views these candidates hold on the Second Amendment.

TEXAS
At the recent Annual Meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in Grapevine, TX, Marion Hammer presented the ALEC Criminal Justice Task Force with proposed model legislation based on Florida's landmark "Castle Doctrine" law, that passed in Florida earlier this year.  Her talk was well-received, and the task force subsequently adopted the measure unanimously. It will officially become ALEC Model Legislation in 30 days if there is no objection from the ALEC Board of Directors.

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.