N R A G R A S S F I R E The Newsletter for NRA-ILA Volunteers August 1996 Vol. 2., No. 8 DOLE DEVIATES ON GUN BAN With good reason, many NRA members expressed concern throughout July about statements made by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole on repealing the Clinton gun ban. You'll recall that in 1995, Mr. Dole declared that repeal of the Clinton gun ban would be one his top legislative priorities, yet his recent remarks indicated that his position has shifted, and he no longer supports repeal of the ban he himself has called ineffective and "not very sound policy." The decision on whether the NRA will make an endorsement in this race will not be made until September, when NRA's Board of Directors will meet to take up the issue. Regardless of our involvement in the presidential race, NRA's top priority will continue to be re-electing a Second Amendment majority to Congress, so it is critical that you actively support pro-gun candidates in your area. For more information on how you can elect lawmakers who will support your rights, please call the NRA Political Victory Fund today at 1-800-VOTE-NRA (that's 1-800-868-3672.) Members are also encouraged to express their concerns about Dole's wavering by calling the Dole Campaign at 202-414-6400 and the Republican National Committee at 202-863-8500. HOUSE VOTES TO END ANTI-GUN "RESEARCH" The wheels inside Sarah Brady's favorite propaganda mill could be heard slowly grinding to a halt on July 11, 1996, when the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly rejected an amendment that would have restored funding for government sponsored anti-gun "research." By a 263-158 margin, the House defeated an amendment to the Labor HHS appropriations bill. The amendment, sponsored by Reps. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and Mike Castle (R-Del.) would have provided the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) with $2.6 million of your tax dollars to continue their so-called "research" on firearms and firearms ownership -- "research" which many within the medical and criminal justice fields have found to be "biased" and "shameful." This victory is due in large part to the speeches and behind the scenes efforts of Reps. Jay Dickey (R-Ark.), James Barcia (D-Mich.), Bob Barr (R-Ga.), Henry Bonilla (R-Tex.), John Hostettler (R-Ind.), Ernest Istook (R-Okla.), Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), David Obey (D-Wis.), Frank Riggs (R-Cal.), and Charlie Stenholm (D-Tex.) The bill now moves to the other side of Capitol Hill where the Senate is set to take action at any time! Count on the anti-gun crowd led by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal.) to pull out all the stops to have the $2.6 million restored to NCIPC. Members: Please call your Senators at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to oppose any attempt to restore funding for anti-gun "research." Also, please call Labor, Health & Human Services Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) at (202) 224-4254 and urge him to do the same! SENATE STOPS SPEECH BAN Last month, advocates of your right to free speech in the U.S. Senate stopped a "campaign finance reform" bill that would have silenced your voice and blocked your ability to participate in the political process. Led by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), defenders of your First Amendment rights defeated a motion for cloture on S.1219, which would have ended debate on the bill that, among other things, would have prohibited citizens from joining together to financially assist the candidates of their choice, as NRA members do when they contribute to NRA's Political Victory Fund, and prevented NRA from informing our members about candidates' positions on Second Amendment issues. Unfortunately, it appears that lawmakers in the House will not follow the lead set by their colleagues in the Senate on this issue. The word on Capitol Hill is that despite the Senate's proper rejection of this ill-conceived legislation, the House will take up its own bill, which bears a strong resemblance to the Senate's version, including limits on the ability of citizens to join together in support of political candidates, as NRA members currently do via NRA's Political Victory Fund. Needless to say, NRA will oppose any attempt to limit the participation of ordinary Americans in the political process, but another tough fight is anticipated in the House. Members: Please call your Representatives at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to oppose any "campaign finance reform" legislation that locks you out of the political process. SENATE SAVES CMP On June 27, the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to preserve the new, privatized Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). By a 71 to 29 margin, the Senate defeated the efforts of those opposed to firearms safety and marksmanship training to gut the CMP, ensuring that the program will continue to educate America's youth and groom future champions. Gun owners owe a special thanks to Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Bob Smith (R-N.H.), Larry Craig (R-Id.), Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) and John Glenn (D-Ohio) for their active and vocal support for the CMP program. NATIONAL "RIGHT-TO-CARRY" BILL INTRODUCED Your fundamental right to defend yourself and your family against criminal attack does not end at the state line. Yet today, many states that allow their residents to carry firearms for self- defense deny that same right to qualified, law-abiding individuals from other states. That situation would change if legislation introduced this week by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) becomes law. Under Rep. Stearns' bill, H.R. 3838, citizens permitted to carry concealed firearms in their home states would be allowed to do so in all other states, including those states that currently prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms. While the federal government would not be issuing any permits, H.R. 3838 would establish federal guidelines governing where firearms may be carried concealed for states that do not have a right to carry statute. For states that do have such a statute, the state laws would apply. In cases where state law explicitly allows citizens to carry in places not authorized by the federal guidelines, the state law would take precedence. The bill would also exempt qualified current & former law enforcement officers from state laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed firearms. Please call your Representatives at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to sign-on as co-sponsors to H.R. 3838! CLINTON'S NOT SO "NEW" PROGRAM With much fanfare, President Clinton announced in July that he favors the enforcement of existing laws & unveiled a "new" program to help police catch illegal firearms traffickers. Unfortunately for the President, his well orchestrated media event was overshadowed by the news that the program, which involves tracing firearms used in crimes by juveniles, is not "new" at all, and in fact, was first introduced by BATF officials 16 months ago. To make matters worse, despite all of his tough talk about keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals, actual prosecutions of federal gun crimes are down 16 percent since he took office. These developments again lead us to believe that Mr. Clinton is still more interested in press conferences than prosecutions. RENO SHARPLY CRITICIZED IN HOUSE WACO REPORT President Clinton should have accepted Attorney General Janet Reno's offer to resign because she was "seriously negligent" in approving the FBI's plan to end the 1993 Waco standoff, said Reps. Bill McCollum (R-Fla.) and Bill Zeliff (R-N.H.), the chairmen of the House subcommittees that investigated the incident last year. "In light of her ultimate responsibility for the disastrous assault and its resulting deaths, the President should have accepted it," said a preliminary report by the subcommittee issued on Thursday, July 11, 1996. The report also criticized former Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen and deputy secretary Roger Altman, who "acted highly irresponsibly and were derelict in their duties" for failing to exercise proper oversight of BATF, and called an earlier internal investigation of the incident "grossly incompetent" for solely blaming BATF officials rather than holding senior Treasury officials accountable. The subcommittee also made several recommendations to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy, including a call for criminal charges against any BATF agents who willfully filled out search and arrest warrants containing false statements. ELECTION '96 PRESIDENTIAL FIELD GROWS: The number of candidates seeking the White House grew last month as Richard Lamm officially threw his hat in the ring for the race. Lamm, a former Democratic governor of Colorado, announced that he would seek the nomination of the Reform Party. While Lamm's record on Second Amendment issues is scant, sources in Colorado report that the former governor is not a supporter of Second Amendment rights. Reform Party founder and 1992 presidential candidate Ross Perot also will run. Like Lamm, Perot's position on the Second Amendment is highly suspect. Stay tuned! CLINTON'S TROOPS CALLED TO MUSTER: They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But following the recent announcement by the leaders of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that they hope to establish as effective a base of grassroots activists as NRA's is flattery we can do without! Imagine 50,000 anti-gun precinct captains nationwide working to return Bill Clinton to office and throw out our pro-gun majorities in Congress. "It is my hope that we will be comparable to the NRA...to get all of our Democratic allies on the ground marching for the president to re-elect him," said DNC's political director of the new initiative. This effort demonstrates just how serious the DNC, with its anti-gun leadership and platform, is about keeping the White House and seizing control of Congress! PRO-GUN CANDIDATES UNDER ATTACK: With less than four months to go until the November 5th elections, television and radio advertisements attacking pro-gun candidates on Second Amendment and other issues, are running in many congressional districts. If you see any of these ads attacking your pro-gun candidate, call NRA-PVF at 1-800-VOTE-NRA and let us know when and where the ad appeared. Also, do not hesitate to contact the station directly and set the record straight! ATTENTION ALL NRA MEMBERS: Keep an eye on your mailbox for the September issue of your American Rifleman or American Hunter magazine. It should be arriving in mid-August! Listed on the front cover will be the name and telephone number of your Election Volunteer Coordinator -- an NRA member right in your area who's working to help elect pro-gun lawmakers to office. Call & find out what you can do today! AUGUST ELECTIONS: Seven states will hold their primary elections this month, so all NRA members and gun owners are encouraged to get to the polls and support candidates who support your rights! Keep an eye on your mailbox, an ear for your telephone, or call NRA-PVF at 1-800-VOTE-NRA for information on NRA-PVF-endorsed candidates in your area! Thurs., August 1 - Tennessee; Tues., August 6 - Kansas, Michigan, Missouri; Tues., August 13 - Colorado; Tues., and August 27 - Alaska, Oklahoma. AUGUST VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES: The only way we can elect a pro-gun, Clinton-proof Congress is by casting votes for pro-gun candidates at the ballot box on Election Day. But you can't vote unless you're registered. Listed below are the voter registration deadlines that will pass this month. NRA members are encouraged to register to vote before the deadline passes you by! For information on how to register to vote in your state, call NRA-PVF at 1-800-VOTE-NRA. ARIZONA Voter Registration Deadline: August 12 DELAWARE Voter Registration Deadline: August 17 HAWAII Voter Registration Deadline: August 22 LOUISIANA Voter Registration Deadline: August 29 MASSACHUSETTS Voter Registration Deadline: August 28 MINNESOTA Voter Registration Deadline: August 20 (or at the polls on Election Day) NEW HAMPSHIRE Voter Registration Deadline: August 31 (or at the polls on Election Day) NEW YORK Voter Registration Deadline: August 16 RHODE ISLAND Voter Registration Deadline: August 12 VERMONT Voter Registration Deadline: August 31 WASHINGTON Voter Registration Deadline: August 20 A LOOK AT THE STATES As most state legislatures have adjourned for the session, the focus has shifted from legislative action to election action! Listed below is a summary of what happened last month, as well as information on what we'll face in the coming months -- most notably at the ballot box this November. For the latest information on what's happening in your state, please call NRA- ILA at 1-800-392-8683. California: Good news! Governor Wilson signed SB 671, a bill authorizing the electronic transmission of Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) information to the state Department of Justice and reducing the waiting period on all firearm purchases to 10 days, effective April 1, 1997. Unfortunately, a Senate Committee defeated AB 638, the NRA-supported right to carry bill. Attorney General Dan Lungren played a key role in the defeat of this important measure. Gun owners should not be disheartened -- this was the first time right to carry passed out of the Assembly, and we'll be back next year to push through this critical reform. Be sure to find out how your state lawmakers voted on AB 638 before you cast your votes on Nov. 5! SB 2069, the NRA-backed shooting range protection bill, will be considered by the full Assembly when the legislature returns in August. Please contact your State Assemblymembers and urge them to support SB 2069. Colorado: Animal extremist groups have qualified the "Prohibited Taking of Wildlife" initiative for the November ballot. This measure bans trapping of furbearers in Colorado and strictly limits the ability of wildlife professionals, ranchers, farmers and other citizens to protect their livestock, crops and families from predators, pests and diseased animals. If this initiative is successful, it will bring the animal rights groups one step closer to their ultimate goal -- banning all hunting in Colorado. An effort to defeat this measure is getting underway and we will continue to communicate with you as more information becomes available. Members: spread the word to fellow gun owners and sportsmen: VOTE NO ON THE PROHIBITED TAKING OF WILDLIFE INITIATIVE ON NOVEMBER 5! Delaware: Despite strong efforts by pro-gun lawmakers and state activists, the Senate narrowly defeated an attempt to bring the NRA-backed right to carry reform bill directly to a vote on the Senate floor before adjournment. The bill had passed the House earlier this year and had been languishing in a Senate committee during the waning days of the legislative session. Rest assured we'll be back to try again next year! Be sure to find out how your lawmakers voted on this measure prior to the September 7 primary elections. Maine: Gun owners and sportsmen are encouraged to continue educating each other and the general public on the Green Party- sponsored November ballot initiative and its far-reaching implications on the state's economy and sporting community. The Maine Forest Service and State Planning Office recently commissioned a report on the economic impacts of the initiative, the results of which were released by Governor King's office. The report indicated that passage of the initiative could result in the loss of more than 15,000 jobs in the state and lead to a dramatic decline in the state's economy. Citizens for a Healthy Forest and Economy (CHFE) is still working hard against the proposed initiative, but your help is needed to ensure a sound defeat. For more information on how you can join the fight to preserve Maine's economy, as well as its hunting and sporting heritage, please contact CHFE at (207) 780-0199. Michigan: Governor Engler gave final approval to SB 1033, a bill calling for a ballot initiative supporting the state's current sound wildlife management programs run by the Department of Natural Resource experts. The measure will compete directly on the November ballot with the anti-bear hunting initiative being pushed by animal extremists groups, whose goal it is to eventually end any and all types of hunting. Numerous organizations have united to form Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management (CPWM) to promote SB 1033 and defeat the anti-hunting initiative. It's critical that NRA members, hunters and sportsmen band together to fight these extremists. Members: please contact MUCC at (517) 371-1041 for more information on how you can join the fight to protect our hunting and sporting heritage in Michigan. Oregon: Measure 34, which repeals 1994's anti-hunting initiative and restores professional wildlife management practices in Oregon, has qualified for the November ballot. Thanks to all who helped with the signature gathering process! The animal extremists are on the defensive and now is the time for gun owners and sportsmen to band together and stop them in their tracks. Spread the word to fellow gun owners and hunters -- ON NOVEMBER 5, VOTE YES ON BALLOT MEASURE 34! Pennsylvania: The legislature adjourned without taking final action on SB 806, an NRA-opposed bill repealing Article I, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania constitution, which safeguards residents against unreasonable searches and seizures. This would have submitted Pennsylvanians to the U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of the Fourth Amendment. DEFENDER OF JUSTICE Oregon State Rep. Kevin Mannix (D-Salem) was honored on June 26, 1996, with NRA CrimeStrike's Defender of Justice Award for his work on criminal justice reform, beginning with the anti-stalking statute he authored and saw to passage in 1991. With Mannix's leadership last year, Oregon voters strongly approved three important anti-crime ballot initiatives, including one slamming the state's revolving prison door by establishing mandatory minimum sentences for crimes like murder and rape. Mannix, just the fourth person nationally to receive the CrimeStrike award, is leading an initiative on the fall ballot for a state constitutional amendment, Initiative No. 62, protecting crime victims' rights, along with related criminal justice reforms. A victims' rights group, "Justice For All," spearheads the effort and gathered more than 159,000 signatures to qualify it for the fall ballot. CrimeStrike Director Elizabeth J. Swasey presented Rep. Mannix with his award on the Capitol steps in Salem before an audience of crime victims and victims' rights advocates. 11 GRASSROOTS SEMINARS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER If you live in one of the cities listed below, mark your calendar before you go on vacation and plan to attend the NRA-ILA Grassroots Seminar in your state! Join NRA-ILA Executive Director Tanya Metaksa, NRA leaders, lawmakers, candidates, your fellow NRA members and volunteers and find out how we can all work together to elect pro-gun lawmakers to office, and much, much more! For more information on these meetings, or to register, call NRA-PVF at 1-800-VOTE-NRA, that's 1-800-868-3672. THURS., SEPT. 12 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Hauppague, New York Manchester, New Hampshire SAT., SEPT. 14 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Poughkeepsie, New York Augusta, Maine Crossville, Tennessee SAT., SEPT. 21 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Missoula, Montana Madison, Wisconsin Crossville, Tennessee THURS., SEPT. 26 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Troy, Michigan SAT., SEPT. 28 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Grand Rapids, Michigan Mesa, Arizona NEW NRA-ILA-AFFILIATED MEMBER COUNCILS FORMED: GROUPS GIVE LOCAL FLAVOR TO NRA We are pleased to announce the formation of three new Member Councils -- in Missouri, Florida and Nevada. In areas where existing NRA-affiliated groups are not politically active, Member Councils work to foster and promote NRA's legislative and political agendas right in their local communities. Councils will help mobilize other NRA members to identify and support pro- gun candidates, coordinate election activities to help ensure that pro-gun lawmakers are elected to office, work to defeat restrictive "gun control" legislation and push for laws that will strengthen our right to keep and bear arms. For more information on starting a Member Council in your area, please call the NRA-ILA at 1-800-392-8683. EASTERN MISSOURI MEMBER COUNCIL Contact: David A. Oliver, (314) 458-2954 MEMBER COUNCIL OF TAMPA BAY Contact: Charles R. Mealy, (813) 441-8780 MEMBER COUNCIL OF LAS VEGAS Contact: Lester O. Willingham, (702) 647-1359 MEMBER COUNCIL OF PALM BEACH (Fla.) New Contact: Ideal Baldoni, (407) 697-2529 ATTENTION U.S. SERVICEMEMBERS The brave men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces are truly on the front lines of defending our freedoms, and we owe all of you a great debt. As fellow NRA members, we also want to make sure that you stand up for freedom this fall by exercising your right to vote and supporting pro-gun candidates for office. To assist you in obtaining information on voter registration dates, deadlines and requirements for your legal state of residence, NRA-ILA has researched and compiled information on this subject for all 50 states. Also, should you need candidate information, we have that for you as well! What's more, if you are interested in doing even more this election year, we've also put together a helpful manual specifically designed for our members who serve in the military. To obtain information on these subjects, please call the NRA-Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) at 1-800-VOTE-NRA (that's 1-800-868-3672.) Remember, with voter registration deadlines rapidly approaching, there is no time to waste, so call today! EDDIE EAGLE RECOGNIZED BY NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL The Youth Activities Division of the National Safety Council (NSC) awarded the Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program their Award of Merit for "outstanding contributions to promote safety and health, save lives, and lessen injury and reduce economic loss." Eddie Eagle will be receiving the silver Award of Merit plaque in recognition of its safety and health activities designed to make a contribution toward the prevention of accidents and the advancement of safety and health issues that effect our nation's youth. The Eddie Eagle Program was recognized by the National Safety Council in 1993 when they awarded NRA President Ms. Marion P. Hammer the Citation for Outstanding Community Service, the Council's most prestigious award, for her leadership role in developing the program. The Award of Merit will be presented at the NSC's Annual Youth Safety Congress Awards Banquet to be held in Orlando, Florida, October 26-29. NEWS FROM REFUSE INSTRUCTORS WANTED: If you're interested in becoming an instructor for Refuse To Be A Victim, NRA's award-winning personal safety program designed for women by women, your chance is here! Make your plans to attend a Refuse To Be A Victim instructor development workshop, on August 23-25, at NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. To register, or for more information on upcoming instructor workshops in your area, please call the NRA Women's Issues & Personal Safety Division at 1-800-861-1166. 5 UPCOMING SEMINARS: Mark your calendars for the following Refuse To Be A Victim seminars coming to these towns in August and September. Encourage your wives, daughters, sisters, and girlfriends to find out how they can devise their own personal safety plan. For more information on the seminars listed below, or to reserve your seat, please call 1-800-861-1166. Seminars scheduled: Sat., August 8 - Milipitas, California Mon., August 12 - Puyallup, Washington Sun., August 18 - Puyallup, Washington Tues., Sept. 10 - San Rafael, California Sun., Sept. 15 - Puyallup, Washington HIT THE ROAD WITH NRA-ILA's INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION BROCHURE With August being the biggest vacation month of the year, many NRA members are taking to America's highways. But before you travel anywhere with your guns, get the facts about the laws governing the interstate transportation of firearms. For your free copy of this brochure, please call 1-800-392-8683. Permission to reprint all or portions of this publication granted, duly noting "NRA Grassfire, August, 1996." 1996, NRA Grassfire, NRA Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, Virginia 22030. =+=+=+=+ 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