NRA GRASSFIRE! The Official Newsletter of NRA-ILA January, 1998 THE BIGGER CLINTON GUN BAN Much as we predicted from the outset, the Clinton 1994 Gun Ban was a precursor of things to come. On November 14, President Clinton directed the Secretary of the Treasury to begin an immediate review to determine whether modified semi-automatic firearms meet the "sporting purposes" import criteria. Additionally, this directive charges the Secretary of the Treasury to suspend all outstanding import permits for a 120-day period. It should be noted that all of these semi-automatic firearms conform in every way to the legal requirements set forth in both the Clinton Gun Ban of 1994 and the 1989 import ban. The directive currently affects some 600,000 outstanding import permits. Anticipating this action, Representative Bob Barr (R-Ga.) previously held a press conference on Capitol Hill with NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, NRA-ILA Executive Director Tanya K. Metaksa, and other pro-Second Amendment congressmen, including, Jim Barcia (D-Mich.), Pete Sessions (R-Tex.), Virgil Goode (D-Va.), and Wes Watkins (R-Okla.) "The Clinton Administration is introducing the Bigger Clinton Gun Ban of 1998--still another prohibition that bans more guns and shows more hypocrisy than ever before," emphasized Mrs. Metaksa. She added, "From the White House to Handgun Control, Inc., every gun ban advocate in America is busy confirming everything NRA has ever said about the 1994 gun ban." Basically, that it's an ineffective cosmetic ban and that Clinton's efforts to ban guns in 1994 was only a precursor to bigger, more restrictive bans. All NRA members are encouraged to contact your U.S. Representative at (202) 224-3121 to urge him to oppose the President's attempt to ban more semi-automatic firearms--semi-autos that his 1994 ban previously "blessed!" In the meantime, NRA-ILA will continue to update our members as we learn more about Clinton's latest attack on America's law-abiding gun owners. HOUSE DEMOCRATS BREAK WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON Although they were unsuccessful in stopping this import directive, on October 23, a host of House Democrats signed a letter to the President urging him not to impose his misguided initiative. The letter noted the signatories' beliefs that this action "would adversely affect law-abiding gun owners in the United States." The pro-gun Democrats continue by stating, "the criteria selected to differentiate banned guns was based on cosmetic criteria with no relevance to the firearms' capability, availability, or relevance to actual criminal misuse of a firearm." The letter concludes with, "We believe further pursuit of this issue will unfairly label the Democratic party as anti-gun, which we are not." The letter was authored by Rep. Bud Cramer of Alabama and co-signed by Reps. Goode (Va.), Klink (Pa.), Sandlin (Tex.), Skelton (Mo.), Danner (Mo.), Boyd (Fla. ), Barcia (Mich.), Holden (Pa.), Peterson (Minn.), Turner (Tex.), Taylor (Miss.), Stenholm (Tex.), Rahall (W.V.), Hall (Tex.), Hilliard (Ala.), Mollohan (W.V.), Wise (W.V.), and Tanner (Tenn.). Constituents of these Representatives should be sure to contact them to thank them for their support of our rights. A similar letter to the President was also sent by Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.). FEINSTEIN GOES GLOBAL In his directive, the President cited the work of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal.) to strengthen her so-called "assault weapons" ban that passed as part of President Clinton's 1994 Crime Bill. A recent Los Angeles Times story, which read like an editorial supporting Feinstein's latest initiative, reported that the Clinton-Gore White House is being urged to help "close loopholes that have facilitated the proliferation of thousands of the fearsome, rapid fire guns." The Senator's first goal mirrors the Administration's directive--to convince U.S. officials and the Israeli government to block the importation of semi-automatic Uzi and Galil rifles, which have been lawfully modified to meet U.S. import standards. Imported by popular gun maker Mossberg, these firearms continue to be virtually non-existent at crime scenes, yet Sen. Feinstein wrote directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to impose further restrictions on law-abiding American gun owners. Keep in mind that this charge is being led by a senator who is rumored to be considering a run for the California Governor's Mansion in 1998. When confronted with FBI data showing that rifles of any type are used in only 3% of homicides, Senator Feinstein told the San Diego Union Tribune, "I don't doubt that at all...it is probably less than 3%." Make no mistake about it--this latest attempt to close "loopholes" in the 1994 ban is nothing more than political cover camouflaging the gun banners' calculated efforts to ban as many firearms as possible. Hinting of her true intentions, Sen. Feinstein said on CBS's 60 Minutes in 1995, "If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate ... for an outright ban, picking up every one of them, Mr. and Mrs. America turn them all in, I would have done it." Relatedly, a recent AP story from Jerusalem reported Israel has acquiesced to Sen. Feinstein's wishes, and has declared a three-month moratorium on the sales of certain modified semi-autos to the U.S. In announcing this moratorium, Israel's U.S. ambassador Eliyahu Ben-Elissar told Feinstein the move was done for "humanitarian reasons... in light of the special sensitivity of the issue in the U.S." U.N. PANEL RECOMMENDS STUDYING GUN LICENSING Recent developments within the United Nations confirm our gun rights are definitely under attack at the world governing body, thus illustrating the need for NRA-ILA's active participation in protecting freedom at the U.N. The Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms, a 16-nation panel, recommended that the U.N. convene a global conference on what is being called "small arms trafficking." In the hope of reducing what the panel describes as the "excessive accumulation of guns" in the world, the report recommended that the U.N.: a) support the destruction of small arms left over once conflicts are settled, b) study the feasibility of high-tech "marking" of firearms from the time of manufacture, for the purpose of tracing, and c) study the possibility of restricting the production and trade of small arms to manufacturers and dealers and establish a global database of licenses. While the United Nations alone cannot dictate American policy without Congressional consent (the U.S. Senate must pass all international treaties by a two-thirds vote), this panel's recommendations provide an alarming example of what international gun control bureaucrats at the U.N. want to pursue. In apparent support of the panel's directives, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, "This report recommends a set of practical measures to reduce the weapons already in circulation and to prevent future accumulations." INTERNATIONAL GUN CONTROL UPDATE In a related development, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy has declared that following his nation's successful bid to ban land mines, they will now turn their attention to "small arms." In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Axworthy labeled small arms as the "true weapons of mass terror...[whose] proliferation undermines the security and development efforts of many developing countries." The United Nations, Axworthy believes, should use the expertise gained through the land mines treaty to take on this issue. "All too often," he told the representatives of the member nations, "it is small arms...that cause the greatest bloodshed today." While Axworthy was calling for more international gun control efforts, gun owners in Australia and Great Britain were busy surrendering their firearms to government officials. Down under, Aussies had until midnight September 30 to hand over all their semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and handguns. The new law also creates a national registry of guns, and requires gun owners to justify possession of ANY firearm. In the hope of turning back the anti-gun tide, gun owners are flocking to the Australian version of NRA--the Sporting Shooters Association--which reports as much as a 400% increase in membership in some states. Meanwhile in Great Britain, the government has begun to collect all handguns of . 22 calibers and above, and word is that the Labor government plans to institute a complete ban on all handguns shortly. GOVERNOR WILSON VETOES GUN BAN IN CALIFORNIA Rejecting the elitist contention that riches determine rights, Gov. Pete Wilson (R) vetoed legislation that would have banned outright affordable self-defense handguns, and which could have led to a ban on all handguns. The Governor's veto came after months of intense lobbying by NRA-ILA and a coalition of other groups concerned about the rights of law-abiding Californians. Included in the coalition were the California Rifle & Pistol Association, the Peace Officers Research Association, and the Law Enforcement Alliance of America. The measure, sponsored by State Senator Richard Polanco (D-22), would have required that all handguns, prior to manufacture or sale in California, undergo safety testing by a state approved laboratory. As no labs currently exist to perform this testing, and no funding was provided in the bill for the labs to be established, this proposal had the very real potential to ban ALL handguns. "We congratulate the Governor for a decision that is both safe and smart," said Tanya Metaksa, NRA-ILA Executive Director. Gov. Wilson's veto statement noted his concern about limiting the access of lower income citizens to affordable personal protection, a recognition that the fundamental right to self-defense belongs to all Californians. CLINTON CAJOLES INDUSTRY LEADERS In a Rose Garden ceremony, President Clinton announced an agreement reached between his administration and members of the firearms industry who will provide locking devices with the guns they sell. In what was a surprising move to many in the gun-owning community, who have seen first hand the Clinton-Gore White House's attempts to ban, tax, register, and restrict firearms, President Clinton was joined in the Rose Garden by representatives of 15 of the nation's gun manufacturers (and Richard Feldman, who heads the American Shooting Sports Council, a gun industry lobby ). Lavishing praise on Feldman and industry representatives, the President reportedly stated that reducing children's gun-related accidents is "now my highest law enforcement priority." Absent from the ceremony was mention of the primary reasons why fatal firearms accidents among children are at their lowest point ever: the 50,000 NRA-certified instructors nationwide who teach safety to nearly one million gun owners annually, and NRA's award-winning Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program, which has reached 10 million school children and has been adopted by the FBI for its home firearms safety program. "Because locks are not appropriate for every situation, they are not appropriate for every purchaser," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Tanya Metaksa. Bill Clinton says lock the gun. NRA and law enforcement are saying, "Unlock the MYSTERY behind guns." You do that, not through gadgets, but through gun safety training. TOP DOC? President Clinton has chosen Dr. David Satcher as his nominee to serve as the next U.S. Surgeon General. The current director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Satcher has overseen the CDC's use of taxpayer funds to "study" gun violence and classify it as an epidemic. Last year, Satcher and the CDC's actions inspired the U.S. House of Representatives to transfer public funds away from CDC's gun-related research. Recently, Dr. Satcher had his first day of confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill. In front of the Senate's Labor and Human Resources Committee, Satcher had to respond to inquiries made by pro-Second Amendment Senator Bill Frist, (R-Tenn.), who, incidentally, is the Senate's lone medical doctor, regarding the CDC's lobbying efforts in support of gun control while Satcher was CDC director. Stating that the agency had never financed or been involved in lobbying for gun control, Dr. Satcher falsely claimed that, "the people who are upset with the work of the center seem to be upset because our surveillance programs show the relationship between firearms and injury." Problem is, NRA and the American people don't know what their information shows, for CDC researchers have refused to make the data from their taxpayer-funded studies available for analysis. Satcher's nomination has yet to be confirmed, and NRA plans on continuing to work with our allies in Congress to make sure our concerns are addressed. HISTORIC FIREARMS AMENDMENT The first session of the 105th Congress ended without resolution to the problem of the U.S. State Department denying firearms import permits for such firearms as M-1s and M-1 Carbines eagerly sought by collectors. In the closing days, Representative Alan Mollohan (D-W.V.), ranking Member of the Commerce, State, and Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, tirelessly worked to insert language into the final bill requiring the State Department to stop impeding lawful imports of U.S. origin firearms. Unfortunately, a workable agreement wasn't reached, although the final bill does direct the State Department to report to Congress regarding their non-approval of firearm import permits. Please continue to contact your Representative and ask him to urge the State Department to obey the law. Also, call Congressman Mollohan at (202) 225-4172 to let him know gun owners appreciate and support his continued efforts on our behalf. Congressman Hal Rogers (R-Ky) also deserves thanks, as he too was very supportive throughout the process. A TALE OF TWO "SARA(H)S" HCI's Sarah Brady is one of four recipients of the Sara Lee Foundation's "Frontrunner Awards" for 1997. This year's recipients were acknowledged Nov. 6 in Washington, D.C. The Sara Lee "Frontrunner Award" was introduced in 1987 and recognizes the accomplishments of women in today's world. The Sara Lee Foundation, an offshoot of the Sara Lee Corporation, a global food and consumer products company that markets a wide variety of products, will contribute $50,000 to the non-profit organization of the winner's choice. Sara Lee will donate Mrs. Brady's "winnings" to her Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. Sara Lee can be reached at: Three First National Plaza, Chicago, IL, 60602-4260, (312) 726-2600 or 1 (800) 654-SARA (phone), (312) 726-3712 (fax). CEASE THE IGNORANCE. CEASE THE FEAR. CeaseFire, Inc., a national gun ban organization, is mounting an aggressive nationwide media campaign to brainwash Americans into believing that handguns in the home, for any purposes, are unsuitable for law-abiding citizens. CeaseFire is currently pushing their anti-gun campaign in Boston, Mass.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Austin, Tex.; Cleveland, Ohio; Miami, Fla.; Portland, Ore.; and Salt Lake City, Ut. We've all complained about an anti-gun media and the need to combat it, and now's your chance to act! NRA is looking for volunteers in these specific areas, and across the nation, to educate their local media outlets and movie theaters that are running CeaseFire announcements. For your copy of an NRA Eddie Eagle public service announcement video and information to combat CeaseFire's outlandish claims, that you can distribute to the media outlets in your community, please call (800) 231-0752 ext. 1574. SLOW DOWN ON "FAST-TRACK" It now appears that "fast track" trade legislation will be voted on this Spring. If passed, "fast track" would grant the President wide authority to negotiate trade agreements. NRA has been working to insert language in this bill to restrict the President's authority to arbitrarily ban from importation firearms that are legal to own, manufacture and possess (see lead story). A recent L.A. Time's piece noted a "White House official who specializes in gun control policy, Jose Cerda, stating, 'we are taking the law and bending it as far as we can to capture a whole new class of guns'." If it is not stopped, the Clinton Administration has indicated it will implement a ban on imported firearms which the NRA believes will ultimately prohibit many, if not all, semi-automatic rifles and handguns. Please call your Congressman at (202) 225-3121, and urge him to vote "no" on "fast track," unless "fast track" is modified to stop President Clinton from banning more firearms. CAMPAIGN FINANCE STALEMATE Thanks to the leadership of First Amendment friend Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), opponents of free speech failed three times in October to end the filibuster of S. 25, the McCain-Feingold "campaign finance reform package." NRA opposes McCain-Feingold because it would seriously restrict our ability to communicate political information with NRA members, and we have joined in a coalition with groups covering the entire political spectrum in opposition to the speech reform bill. It now appears a vote on a campaign reform bill will be held this Spring in both houses of Congress. However, opponents of free speech plan to continue to push for this bill. That's why it is important you continue to spread the word on this misguided bill and keep up your calls to lawmakers in Washington at (202) 224- 3121 in opposition to this misguided piece of legislation. RUBY RIDGE REPERCUSSIONS An Idaho magistrate has dismissed all charges against Kevin Harris, the man accused by the Boundary County, Idaho prosecutor of murdering Deputy U.S. Marshal William Degan, at the start of the 1992 siege at Ruby Ridge. Boundary County District Court Magistrate Quentin Harden ruled that Harris, who had already been acquitted of murder in an earlier federal trial, could not be prosecuted again because it amounted to double jeopardy. Meanwhile, a Federal Appeals Court in San Francisco has cleared the way for Harris, who was wounded by the FBI sniper round that killed Vicki Weaver, to proceed with a $10 million civil suit against the federal government, ruling that the Bureau's "shoot to kill" rule of engagement was "a gross deviation from constitutional principles and a wholly unwarranted return to a lawless and arbitrary Wild West school of law enforcement." TEXAS TEACHER ARRESTED Ninth grade English teacher Susan McCue of North Side High School in Fort Worth, Texas, was arrested last September after telling her boss that she had placed a handgun in the trunk of her car after being threatened by an unruly student. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Tarrant County district attorney's office has decided not to press charges against Ms. McCue, citing a recent change in state law that excludes school parking lots from "off limits" places to possess a firearm. The sponsors of the new law, Senator Jerry Patterson (R-11th), now a candidate for Texas Land Commissioner in 1998, and Rep. Bill Carter (R-91), had law-abiding citizens such as Ms. McCue in mind when amending Texas's Penal Code. [Reports indicate that Ms. McCue is now back in the classroom and that her principal is determining whether any students require disciplinary action.] RIGHT TO CARRY--WORKING IN THE STATES, NEEDED NATIONALLY Just as reports confirm the success rates of right to carry laws in Kentucky and Louisiana, newly-released statistics once again prove the critics wrong in their claim that allowing law-abiding citizens to carry handguns will result in increased crime. This time, the good news is from the Commonwealth of Virginia. The results--overwhelmingly positive! In the first year under concealed carry reform, 65,429 permits were issued, and only .06% were revoked. That means that 99.94% of permit holders continue to be law-abiding! "The people who get permits are unusually law-abiding," Gary Kleck, Florida State criminologist was quoted as saying in the Virginian-Pilot (Oct. 7), adding, "I only wish the entire population had that low a rate of committing gun crimes." And while a majority of states have carry laws similar to Virginia's, there still remains a patchwork of different statutes and restrictions among the 50 states as a whole. Therein lies the need for U.S. congressional passage of H.R. 339, the national right to carry reciprocity bill. Currently, H.R. 339 has 64 co-sponsors, a number that has steadily increased during the last several months. Representatives John Thune (R-S.D.), Phil English (R-Penn.), Bill Goodling (R-Penn), John Shimkus (R-Ill.), and Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) are the latest to sign onto the bill as co-sponsors, and they deserve thanks for their commitment to self defense. Please continue to call your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121, and urge him or her to become a co-sponsor to H.R. 339, the bill which requires states to recognize other states' permits, just as they recognize the driver's licenses issued by other states. Calls should be made to both your U.S. Senators at 202/224-3121 as well, in support of S. 816, the Senate companion bill to H.R. 339, introduced by NRA Board Member Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho). NEW TOOL TO COUNTER ANTI-GUN PROPAGANDA It has long been the practice of anti-gun groups and elements of the media to lump firearms suicides, homicides, and accidents--whose causes are separate and distinct--in order to scare the public with alarming statistics. Call the Grassroots Division at 1-800-392-8683 to get NRA-ILA's latest Fact Sheet debunking the myths being perpetuated by the gun banners regarding suicide and homicide. SECOND AMENDMENT SCHOLAR TO SPEAK IN MAINE Come join leading Second Amendment scholar and attorney Stephen P. Halbrook for two presentations at the University of Maine School of Law in Portland, Maine, on Wednesday, February 4, 1998. Presentation times are 12:00 noon and 7:00 pm. The topics will include the recent "Brady Act" case of Printz v. U.S., and a variety of issues concerning the right to keep and bear arms. Please make plans to attend these free presentations. For more information, contact Brad Macdonald at (207) 773-1513. Permission to reprint all or portions of this publication granted, duly noting "NRA Grassfire, January, 1998." 1997, NRA Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, Virginia 22030. http://www.groots@nra.org. =+=+=+=+ This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA. This and other information on the Second Amendment and the NRA is available at: http://WWW.NRA.Org