From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
NRA-ILA FAX ALERT
Vol. 7, No. 35
CALIFORNIA GUN OWNERS
STOP LATEST LICENSING SCHEME!
Thanks to a massive grassroots effort by California NRA members,
the California Rifle & Pistol Association, and Gun Owners of California,
AB 273, which sought to severely restrict, license, and tax prospective
handgun buyers, met its defeat late Wednesday night. Anti-gun Assemblyman
Jack Scott (D-Altadena), a longtime thorn in the side of gun owners and
the bill�s chief sponsor, worked fervently until the eleventh hour to
gather enough votes from members of his own party in an effort to gain the
bill�s passage. However, in the end, the combination of tens of thousands
of phone calls from gun owners, opposition by members of California�s law
enforcement community, and a final parliamentary maneuver orchestrated by
pro-gun Assemblyman Rod Wright (D-Los Angeles) created an insurmountable
roadblock that ensured AB 273's demise.
AB 273 was one of the most blatant attempts to dismantle the
Second Amendment that California�s gun owners had ever faced. The measure
would have required all handgun buyers to be fingerprinted, pass a
shooting proficiency test, and then register all handguns at the point of
purchase before being licensed by the California Department of Justice to
simply possess a handgun. AB 273 also contained a provision which would
have treated law-abiding gun owners just like registered sex offenders,
requiring them to notify law enforcement whenever they moved.
Although this was a big defeat for Assemblyman Scott and the
anti-gun forces in the California General Assembly, Scott vows that he
will pursue his licensing scheme if he is successful in his bid for the
State Senate, and if the chamber maintains its anti-gun tilt after the
November Elections.
CONGRESS BACK IN SESSION NEXT WEEK
The U.S. Congress will be back from its August/Labor Day recess
next week, and it is expected that "gun control" issues could once again
take center stage -- especially in the U.S. Senate. As the Senate rushes
to wrap up work on its remaining appropriations bills, the anti-gunners
will no doubt try to load up these remaining legislative vehicles with
numerous anti-gun amendments. We can expect to see attempts to revive the
Lautenberg gun show ban, a ban on the importation of "high capacity"
magazines, a "one-gun-a-month" scheme, and a host of other anti-freedom
proposals. It is urgent that you contact your U.S. Senators in
Washington, at (202) 224-3121, to voice your opposition to any new "gun
control" legislation. You may also use our <A
HREF="http://congress.nw.dc.us/nra/index.pl">"Write Your Reps" </A>feature
at www.NRAILA.org to contact your Senators. With just a few short weeks
left in the legislative session, it is imperative that we keep the
pressure on our elected officials in this election year to ensure no new
gun restrictions are passed by Congress.
BATF REVERSES RULING ON IMPORTATION OF SOME RIFLE RECEIVERS
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) has reversed a
three-year-old policy that allowed the importation of certain rifle
receivers. In the 1997 "reevaluation" of semi-automatic rifle importation
under the Gun Control Act�s "sporting purposes" test, BATF decided that
rifles capable of accepting "large capacity military magazines" could not
be imported. Contrary to hundreds of comments received from the industry
and public, the Administration felt those rifles weren�t suitable for
"sporting purposes." Following that ruling, BATF allowed frames, barrels,
or receivers for such rifles to be imported, since these could also be
used as spare parts for existing, lawful rifles, or even to assemble types
of firearms that would be importable. Now that policy has been reversed,
and import permits are being denied. BATF�s apparent assumption is that
any gun part which may be used to manufacture a banned firearm, will be
used to make a banned firearm -- a position with some serious risks for
anyone who uses imported parts in manufacturing, modifying, or repairing
firearms. The ruling itself does not affect importation of Garands, which
are already banned from importation due to Bill Clinton�s strained
interpretation of the Arms Export Control Act�s rules relating to
reimportation of U.S.-origin firearms.
MAJORITIES FEEL BRADY ACT INEFFECTIVE; ENFORCEMENT TRUMPS NEW LAWS
A Portrait of America (POA) survey found that 51% of Americans
think the Brady Act has been ineffective in reducing gun crimes. A larger
majority, 56%, believe that the Act hasn�t reduced handgun murders. While
the nationwide survey does parrot some other surveys exposing Americans�
unfamiliarity with existing gun laws, it does contain some other important
news; 67% prefer stricter enforcement of existing laws over enacting new
ones; 69% believe adults should be allowed to own guns; and a majority
feel that America would be more dangerous if gun ownership was prohibited
for most Americans. Longer jail sentences were cited by 58% of respondents
as being the best way to reduce gun-related violence. To view the survey
results go to:<A HREF="http://205.252.89.107/
html/poll-1192.html" TARGET="_blank">http://205.252.89.107/
html/poll-1192.html.</A>
Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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