Next Hearing on BATFE's “Operation Fast and Furious” Announced
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has announced that on Tuesday, July 26, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will convene another hearing as part of the ongoing investigation into the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ “Operation Fast and Furious.” The committee called the program “a tragically flawed effort that is connected to deaths on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border.”
The hearing, “Operation Fast and Furious: The Other Side of the Border,” will feature the testimony of U.S. law enforcement officials who witnessed a different side of the controversial operation. These agents allegedly saw the steady stream of “Fast and Furious” guns recovered at crime scenes in Mexico and were given orders from superiors not to alert Mexican authorities.
This latest hearing comes amidst new allegations that the Justice Department sought to shift blame for “Fast and Furious” away from its political appointees.
A July 20 Washington Times article quoted the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), as saying, “Examining the accounts of witnesses who did not participate in Operation Fast and Furious, but were nonetheless disturbed as they watched it unfold is critical to understanding the scope of this flawed program. This testimony is especially important in light of the Justice Department’s willful efforts to withhold key evidence from investigators about what occurred, who knew and who authorized this reckless operation.”
The hearing will be streamed live at http://oversight.house.gov.
Outrage of the Week: This week’s outrage comes to us from Baltimore, Maryland, where mayoral candidate Otis Rolley is proposing a $1.00 per bullet tax be levied on all ammunition purchases in the city of Baltimore as part of his “crime plan.”
U.S. Senate Stands With NRA in Strongly Opposing U.N. Gun Control Efforts: For nearly 20 years, the NRA has worked tirelessly to oppose any United Nations effort to undermine the constitutional rights of law-abiding American gun owners. The latest attempt by the U.N. and global gun banners to eliminate our Second Amendment freedoms is to include civilian arms in the current Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which will be finalized next year.
NRA Supports Suit Against DCHA: Current District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) rules forbid law-abiding residents from owning a firearm for any lawful purpose. NRA is supporting and financing a lawsuit to challenge this policy. The case is Scott v. District of Columbia Housing Authority.
NRA-ILA Gathering Information on BATFE Demand Letters: We reported last week on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives plan to take the first step toward national gun sales registration. In response to the BATFE plan--which will force the reporting of semi-automatic rifle sales by Federal Firearm Licensees in Southwest border states including Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas--NRA-ILA is looking to gather as much information as possible about the BATFE demand letters
New NRA Life of Duty Program Honors and Assists Those Who Put Themselves in Harm’s Way: NRA recently announced the launch of a bold program created exclusively for America’s military and law enforcement personnel. Called “NRA Life of Duty,” the initiative encompasses a new class of sponsored NRA membership, a state-of-the-art on-line network and a digital magazine—designed for those who make their living defending the American way of life.
Another Way To Get Involved--Join NRA’s Facebook And Twitter Groups: Internet social networking has exploded in recent years, and websites such as Facebook and Twitter attract millions of users. This on-line community fosters a connection between its users, and allows distribution of user-generated content (like pictures, profiles, music, video, and text).
STATE ROUNDUP (Please note the only items listed below are those that have had recent action. For other updates on state legislation, please go to the state legislation section at www.NRAILA.org, and check each week’s issue of the Grassroots Alert.)
For additional information, please click on the links provided.
Hunting Opportunities to be Expanded on National Wildlife Refuges in Eight States
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing to open Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota to deer and turkey hunting for the first time, while expanding hunting activities at nine other refuges in eight states. These states include: Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Minnesota, Iowa, Utah and Texas. If approved, the proposal would provide additional public hunting opportunities in fulfillment of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.
Please let the Service hear your voice of support for this rulemaking. To comment on the proposed hunting rule changes online, or to read the full text of the rule go to www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FWS-R9-NSR-2011-0038-0001 Comments can be submitted by clicking on the orange box in the upper right-hand corner of the page. The comment period closes August 4, 2011.
COLORADO:U.S. Forest Service Releases Allenspark Recreational Shooting Project Environmental Assessment for Public Comment
The U.S. Forest Service has prepared an environmental assessment to address safety concerns that led to an emergency closure of approximately 132 acres of forest land located on the Boulder Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. The environmental assessment provides three alternatives for the project to consider. Alternative A would leave the land unchanged and Alternative C would close the land to all shooting. Under Alternative B, a shooting range would be constructed and then managed and supervised under a special use permit by an organization, concessionaire or club. It is imperative that you send comments to the Forest Service in support of Alternative B. The environmental assessment is open for public comment until July 29.
IOWA: Natural Resources Commission Bans Traditional Ammunition for Dove Season
On July 14, the Iowa Natural Resources Commission gave final approval to the establishment of a dove season to begin on September 1. However, the Commission added an amendment that would also ban the use of lead shot when dove hunting. Please contact Governor Terry Branstad (R) today and urge him to once again step in and stop this attack on traditional ammunition.
MICHIGAN:Hunter Heritage Bills Signed into Law
On July 20, Governor Rick Snyder signed into law the Hunter Heritage Act, allowing youth hunters to get in the field at an earlier age, under the direct supervision of an adult mentor hunter. We thank Governor Snyder for signing youth hunting legislation into law, and we also thank all of the NRA members who contacted their state legislators in support of this legislation.
MISSOURI: NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshop in Sedalia, Missouri on August 9th!
Join NRA-ILA staff on Tuesday, August 9th, for an evening of important grassroots education. With what has already been a very busy 2011, we must redouble our efforts to ensure we're prepared to meet the opportunities and challenges we will face in Missouri. Please make plans to attend NRA-ILA's FREE Grassroots Workshop to learn what you can do to become a better activist in the fight to protect and promote the Second Amendment!
WYOMING: Delisting of Recovered Wolf Populations Moves Forward in U.S. House
The National Rifle Association and a coalition of sportsmen’s groups sent a letter to Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior and Environment, and committee member Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) concerning the delisting of recovered wolf populations from the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The letter supports efforts in advancing Section 119 of the 2012 Interior-Environment Appropriations bill, which was approved yesterday by the House Appropriations Committee.
The section would eliminate the possibility of judicial review of any Department of the Interior decision to delist recovered wolf populations in Wyoming or in the Western Great Lakes region from the ESA if the relevant state enters an agreement with the Secretary of the Interior that authorizes the state to manage wolves. This will help prevent anti-hunting extremists from continuing to abuse the judicial system in order to further their emotion-driven agenda.
“Delisting recovered wolf populations in Wyoming and the Great Lakes Region would restore scientific wildlife management and balance to these ecosystems,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “Hunters are the true conservationists and wolves simply need to be managed through regulated hunting like so many other species. Americans understand that scientists, not judges, should make these critical wildlife management decisions and this is what Section 119 ensures.”
