TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!
This year's elections proved, once again, that good information is critical to success. But information can only be put to good use if it is received in a timely manner. Our campaign to ensure that readers of the NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert switch from receiving the newsletter by fax to e-mail has been very successful. However, we still have some Grassroots Alert recipients who receive the weekly Alert via fax. If you have an e-mail address, but you still receive the Alert every Friday via fax, it is imperative that you switch over to our e-mail system as soon as possible.
Effective January 1, 2006, the Grassroots Alert will be transmitted solely via e-mail. Therefore, those of you who currently receive the Friday Alert via fax, and wish to continue to receive it, will need to sign up to receive NRA-ILA's e-mail alerts. You may sign up for e-mail by visiting www.NRAILA.org and choosing "Sign-Up For E-mail," or you may call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683.
This change is part of our ongoing transition to e-mail as our primary communication tool, recognizing the vast number of NRA members with e-mail access, and the additional flexibility e-mail affords recipients in easily forwarding the information to others. In addition, we can send e-mail instantly, at virtually no cost, while each fax incurs the cost of a long distance call, not to mention your cost in paper.
Please note that the Grassroots Alert will still be posted at www.NRAILA.org.
Thank you for your cooperation with, and attention to, this change.
D.C. PERSONAL PROTECTION ACT--A TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY
One of NRA-ILA's top legislative priorities in Congress continues to be the passage of S. 1082 and H.R. 1288--the Senate and House versions of the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act." This legislation 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 and H.R. 1288.
For a list of Senate cosponsors, please visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN01082:@@@P.
For a list of House cosponsors, please visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR01288:@@@P.
You can call your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121, or your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121.
HELP NRA-ILA FIGHT FOR FREEDOM IN THE COURTS!
With NRA engaged in various legal battles to protect our Second Amendment rights across the country, we are asking NRA members to contribute to NRA-ILA as we fight for freedom in the courts. Please encourage your friends, family, and other Second Amendment supporters to stand with NRA-ILA by making a financial contribution to help us fight for freedom. You may contribute by mail (please make checks payable to NRA-ILA, and send to: NRA-ILA, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030); by telephone at (800) 392-8683; or via our website at: https://secure.nraila.org/Contribute.aspx.
Thank you for your continued support in our efforts to further the cause of freedom.
[Contributions to NRA-ILA are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.]
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.****)
DELAWARE
Mark your calendar for the "Concealed Carry Conference and Second Amendment Rally" to be held January 8, 2006! The Conference, held in conjunction with the Delaware State Sportsmen's Association Annual Meeting of Members, will feature special guest speaker NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox, as well as NRA President Sandra Froman, NRA 1st Vice President John Sigler, and NRA 2nd Vice President Ron Schmeits. The conference will be held at Modern Maturity Center, 1121 Forest Ave. (Rt. 8), in Dover. Doors open at 1:00 p.m., and the meeting begins at 2:00 p.m. This event is open to everyone interested in preserving and defending the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. See you there!
NEVADA
On December 8, the Nevada Chiefs and Sheriffs Association (NCSA) will hold its annual meeting in Mesquite. On the agenda is a recommendation that all 17 sheriffs sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) that they will take the necessary steps to come into compliance with federal law, thereby allowing CCW permit holders to purchase firearms without having to undergo a background check. As reported in previous Alerts, there was a unanimous NCSA vote asking the Department of Public Safety to request an extension of the BATFE deadline for compliance, but since the extension deadline passed, an MOU signed by all sheriffs will accomplish the same goal. According to an NCSA representative, the sheriffs plan on signing the MOUs put before them on December 8, however it is vital that NRA members contact their sheriffs prior to the meeting and politely encourage them to do so. In addition, while you are taking the time to contact your sheriff, please ask him/her to open the CCW subcommittee hearing to the public during the course of their annual December 8 meeting. For contact information for your sheriff, please visit www.NRAILA.org, or call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683. As long as Nevada's sheriffs are the issuing authority for concealed weapon permits, any policy that is made on behalf of permit holders should be held open for scrutiny to the public.
NEW YORK
Following a recent "investigative" story by local NBC affiliate "I-Team 10" in Rochester that revealed a small number of hunting licenses have been issued to convicted felons over the past decade, a local lawmaker has responded by suggesting that hunters undergo a criminal background check prior to being issued a hunting license. While NRA strongly believes that felons should not have access to firearms, the solution is not to treat all hunters as suspected criminals. Performing background checks on hunters will result in delays and increased costs that will undoubtedly be passed along to all New York hunters in the form of increased license fees. Please call Senator Michael F. Nozzolio (R-54) today at (518) 455-2366, and tell him you strongly oppose legislation to require NICS checks for all hunters. In addition, The Suffolk County Legislature's Parks and Cultural Affairs Committee recently considered and reported favorably out of committee two bills supporting the reopening of the Suffolk County Trap & Skeet Range. The bills included: Introductory Resolution IR-2216-5, a measure that designates $300,000 for planning, refurbishing, upgrading and maintenance of the facility; and IR-2228-5, which will authorize a contract with Hunter Sports to run the Trap & Skeet facility. Even though support for the range is present in the Suffolk County Legislature, area anti-gun groups are trying to do everything they can to stop the range from reopening. It is vital that you attend the Suffolk County Legislature Meeting to voice your support for the reopening of the range. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 6, at 9:00 a.m., at the Suffolk County Legislature in Riverhead, right behind the Suffolk County Jail and Courts. For further directions, please contact the Legislature Office. Please encourage your friends and family to attend. In the event that you are unable to attend, please contact your Suffolk County Legislator at (631) 853-4070.
WISCONSIN
The "Personal Protection Act" (PPA) cleared another hurdle this week after the Joint Finance Committee approved it by a vote of 14-2. This legislation, which would make Wisconsin the 39th Right-to-Carry state, also received a significant boost when the Wisconsin Troopers' Association, one of the state's largest law enforcement organizations, announced its support of the PPA. The State Troopers now join the Milwaukee Police Association, Fraternal Order of Police, and Law Enforcement Alliance of America as law enforcement organizations that have registered their support for the PPA. A new coalition of district attorneys has also announced its support. All of this further discredits those opponents who claim that they "stand beside law enforcement" in opposition to citizens' right to self-defense. The bill now moves to the State Senate for floor consideration early next week. It is critical that you contact your State Senator at (800) 362-9472, and request that he or she support Senate Bill 403, the "Personal Protection Act," without further amendments. In addition, to help counter opposition, we ask that members take a moment and write a letter to the editor of their local newspapers explaining their support for the PPA. For information on writing effective letters to the editor, please visit www.NRAILA.org or call the Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683.
NRA closed at noon on Friday, December 2, for a Holiday function. We will re-open on Monday, December 5, at 8:30 a.m., EST.
