CONTINUE TO ATTEND TOWN HALL MEETINGS--
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 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 U.S. Representative will be back home in his/her respective district. 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 to your U.S. Representative your strong support for S. 397 as passed by the Senate. Please contact your Representative's district offices and ask when he/she plans to hold their town hall meetings during the break. If you do not know the number for your Representative's 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 as passed by the Senate.
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.
SAAMI GAINS SEAT AT U.N. TABLE
With the United Nations' continued attempt toward international gun ban treaties marching forward, it is heartening to finally get some good gun-related news out of the U.N. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) has recently been granted official consultive status to the U.N.
Founded in 1926, SAAMI publishes voluntary industry quality and safety standards, coordinates technical manufacturing data, and promotes safe and responsible firearms use. Virtually all new firearms sold in the United States adhere to the approximately 700 standards set by SAAMI that are reviewed by the National Institute Of Standards and Technology.
Commenting on the group's new status, SAAMI Managing Director Rick Patterson noted, "The U.N. creates treaties and model regulations. It's important for our industry to have a voice in both of these arenas....[s]o SAAMI can now speak up during deliberations over any treaties that could ultimately render America's Second Amendment null and void. Second, the United Nations is very active in developing international regulations. There are thousands upon thousands of model regulations for countries to adopt, and SAAMI now has an official opportunity to provide input in the creation of these models. We can't prevent politicians from deliberately making bad decisions, but we can make sure they don't unintentionally make bad decisions from a lack of knowledge."
NEW JERSEY & VIRGINIA VOTER REGISTRATION ALERT!
With New Jersey and Virginia being the only two states this year with elections, all eyes will be on gun owners in these two states. Rest assured our opponents will be re-doubling their efforts in New Jersey and Virginia this year as a precursor to the all-important 2006 elections. Gun owners nationwide are counting on their brethren in New Jersey and Virginia to make a bold statement in defense of freedom this November by electing pro-gun lawmakers to office. If the anti-gunners see any weaknesses in our pro-gun voting bloc in New Jersey or Virginia this year, they will work tirelessly to attempt to expose them in next year's congressional elections.
Of course the first step toward ensuring victory on Election Day--November 8, 2005--is to ensure every Second Amendment supporter is currently registered to vote.
Please remember, if you've recently moved or haven't voted in the past few elections, you will need to re-register. For additional information on voter registration, please go to www.NRAILA.org and click "Get Involved Locally." The voter registration information can be found on the right hand column. To fill out an on-line voter registration application, visit our website's "Register to Vote" section. Please forward this information to your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners to ensure they register to vote as well.
New Jersey Voter Registration Deadline: October 11, 2005
Virginia Voter Registration Deadline: October 11, 2005
REGISTER TO VOTE BY OCTOBER 11, 2005, AND CAST YOUR BALLOT ON NOVEMBER 8, SO WE CAN SEND A LOUD, CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE GUN GRABBERS, BOTH THIS YEAR IN NEW JERSEY AND VIRGINIA, AND AS WE GEAR UP FOR THE 2006 ELECTIONS!
THE SOUND OF VICTORY IN VIRGINIA
In a victory for Nelson County, Virginia hunters and shooters, the Nelson County Board of Supervisors this week amended a controversial noise ordinance that would have severely restricted shooting in the county. The ordinance was originally passed on June 30 at an "emergency" meeting and without public notice.
Yielding to pressure from angry sportsmen and hunters, the Board of Supervisors re-adopted the noise ordinance and, with unanimous approval, added an exemption for the lawful discharge of firearms, except at commercial ranges. Hunting live game and nuisance or predatory animals is also exempted.
Special thanks goes out to all of the Nelson County residents who attended the public hearing and voiced their opposition to the original ordinance.
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.****)
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!
VIRGINIA
Virginia NRA Members, sportsmen, and law-abiding gun owners should plan to attend gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore's (R) upcoming "Sportsmen's Meeting." The event will be held next Tuesday evening, August 23, at the NRA Headquarters building, 11250 Waples Mill Road, in Fairfax. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., and topics will include: why sportsmen and Second Amendment supporters need to get involved in the campaign, various ways that they can actually get involved, updates from the campaign, and information on what sportsmen can continue to do to help ensure Jerry Kilgore is elected this fall. Please plan to attend yourself, and please be sure to spread the word to friends, family, and fellow firearm owners. Please be sure to check www.NRAPVF.org, and future issues of the Grassroots Alert, for updates and election information regarding Virginia's November 8, 2005 General Election.
