NRA-ILA Alerts - NRA - Legislation

12/22/2007

[SIZE=+1]Senate Passes NICS Improvement Act![/SIZE]

After months of careful negotiation, pro-gun legislation was passed through Congress Wednesday. NRA-ILA worked closely with Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to address his concerns regarding H.R. 2640, the National Instant Check System (NICS) Improvement Act. These changes make a good bill even better. The end product is a win for American gun owners.
Late yesterday, anti-gun Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), failed to delay progress of this pro-gun measure. The Violence Policy Center, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and other gun control and gun ban groups are opposed to the passage of this legislation because of the many pro-gun improvements contained within.

[SIZE=+1]Senator Crapo And 46 Other Senators Request Policy Change Regarding The Carrying And Transportation Of Firearms On Public Lands:[/SIZE]

On December 14, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) sent a letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne requesting that prohibitions preventing law-abiding citizens from transporting and carrying firearms on certain public lands be removed.
The NRA initiated and worked closely with Senator Crapo on this letter and appreciates his bipartisan effort to get 47 Senators to sign a letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne requesting a change in policy allowing state law to govern the carrying and transportation of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges, as is the case of national forests and BLM lands. We have been working for nearly five years to change this policy and applaud the strong Senate support for this policy change expressed in this letter.
View the letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne

[SIZE=+1]More Proof Americans Support Gun Rights & NRA Has Clout In Elections:[/SIZE]

Need more confirmation that a majority of Americans support the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and that voters listen to NRA at election time?

[SIZE=+1]Legislation To Improve & Modernize BATFE Is Introduced:[/SIZE]

Two bills, considered in the last Congress as H.R. 5005 & H.R. 5092, have been combined, improved, and re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 4900-the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act of 2007." H.R. 4900 is cosponsored by Representatives Steve King (R-Iowa) and Zack Space (D-Ohio).

[SIZE=+1]Senator Feinstein Inserts Provision to Slaughter Santa Rosa Island's Elk and Mule Deer:[/SIZE]

As we reported last year, Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) helped to enact an NRA-backed law to save the 1100 Roosevelt Elk and Kaibab Mule Deer on Santa Rosa Island from court-ordered extermination. Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA) and Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) were outraged. It was clear that they were not going to give up until every elk and mule deer on the island had been destroyed.

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

12/28/2007


The Year In Review

Here are some of the top stories we brought you in the NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert in 2007. With the 2008 election season just around the corner, we must redouble our efforts to ensure we are prepared to meet the opportunities and challenges we will face next year. We will continue to provide you with information in future Alerts to ensure our mutual success.
JANUARY:

• The U.S. Senate passes an amendment to S.A. 3, the "Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act", removing an onerous proposal that would have drastically limited the First Amendment rights of Americans in the political process. Offered by Sens. Robert Bennett (R-Utah) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the amendment removed language that would have forced ordinary citizens to register with the federal government as "lobbyists," with all the attendant restrictions, costs, and penalties
• U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D) introduces S. 388-the Senate version of H.R. 226, a national Right-to-Carry reciprocity bill that would provide national reciprocity for state carry licensees by allowing any person with a valid carry permit or license issued by a state to carry a concealed firearm in any other state if they meet certain criteria. The bill would not create a federal licensing system; it would simply require the states to recognize each other's carry permits, just as they recognize drivers' licenses.

FEBRUARY:

• Judge Carl J. Barbier, presiding over the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, grants NRA's motion for contempt against New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and police chief Warren Riley for "failure to provide initial disclosures and to compel answers to discovery" during NRA's lawsuit against the City for its illegal gun confiscation of law-abiding citizens following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

MARCH:

• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia's Circuit rules that the Second Amendment is an individual right and concludes that the District of Columbia's handgun ban is unconstitutional. According to the majority opinion, "[T]he phrase 'the right of the people'...leads us to conclude that the right in question is individual."
• A new look for the Grassroots Alert is rolled out, providing you with more concise story summaries, along with the option to click the story title if you wish to read the entire piece.

APRIL:

• Missouri Governor Matt Blunt (R) and West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin (D) sign NRA-backed "Emergency Powers" legislation in their respective states to prevent state and local authorities from confiscating lawfully owned firearms during declared states of emergency, such as occurred in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
• The Kansas State Senate overrides Governor Kathleen Sebelius's veto of vital legislation that would allow law-abiding Kansans to protect themselves outside their homes.
• The Brady Center sends out a tasteless fundraiser asking for one dollar for each of the Virginia Tech shooting victims.

MAY:

• The Fraternal Order of Police's (FOP) Chuck Canterbury and acting BATFE Director Michael Sullivan note their support for keeping sensitive gun trace data off limits to those who would use it to foster an anti-gun agenda. Mayor Bloomberg would later label the national FOP as a "fringe" organization.
• The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declines to review the decision in Parker v. District of Columbia-thus paving the way for the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.
• H.R. 2093, legislation restricting grassroots lobbying, is defeated. The "Meehan-Shays amendment" would have defined communications by organizations such as NRA, written with the intent of mobilizing citizens to contact Congress, as "lobbying," subjecting those efforts to onerous registration and reporting requirements for the first time in American history.

JUNE:

• The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passes H.R. 2640, the "NICS Improvement Act," which makes needed, and long overdue, improvements to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
• Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons (R) signs the NRA-backed "Emergency Powers Firearms Protection Act" into law.
• In a temporary setback, anti-gun Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee, announces she will not include the "Tiahrt Amendment" in the CJS appropriations bill. In doing so, Mikulski defies BATFE and the FOP, choosing instead to do the bidding of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R). The NRA-backed language is later reinstated in an amendment by Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.).
• An amendment to prohibit the importation of polar bear trophies to the U.S. is defeated in the U.S. House of Representatives.

JULY:

• Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signs into law two of NRA-ILA's top legislative priorities. SB 62, Missouri's "Castle Doctrine" bill, removes the "duty to retreat" for victims of criminal attack; while SB 225, the "Hunting Heritage Protection Areas Act," preserves important wildlife habitat and hunting opportunities throughout the state.
• The U.S. House Appropriations Committee votes to protect the "Tiahrt Amendment," rejecting two separate amendments designed to strike or gut the language, in the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008. This language maintains firearm trace information within the law enforcement community and out of the hands of politicians, trial lawyers and special interest groups.
• Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty announces the city will appeal the Parker ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

AUGUST:

• President George W. Bush issues an executive order directing Federal agencies to work more diligently to facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat.
• The Culture and Media Institute (CMI) releases a report entitled "The Media Assault on the Second Amendment," finding that in the first seven months of 2007, the three major networks ran some 650 stories on firearm-related homicides, yet only two covering the use of guns for self-defense. Considering guns are used three to five times more often for self-defense than to commit a crime, this disproportion is staggering.

SEPTEMBER:

• NRA holds its first "Celebration of American Values" conference, providing NRA members the opportunity to hear some of our nation's most important leaders-including a number of 2008 Presidential candidates-address Second Amendment issues. Hundreds attend and the event is broadcast nationally by C-SPAN and receives heavy media coverage.
• The U.S. Senate passes the Foreign Operations appropriations bill, which includes an amendment by Senator David Vitter (R-La.) to prevent any funding to foreign organizations that infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of lawful American citizens. Any organization that adopts a policy anathema to the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment would no longer be eligible for U.S. financial assistance-including the U.N.

OCTOBER:

• California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) dismisses the concerns of gun owners and sportsmen in California and signs two anti-gun pieces of legislation into law-a bill to outlaw the sale of all new handguns that do not imprint identifying information upon cartridge cases after firing, and a ban on the use of lead ammunition in areas which are inhabited by California condors.

NOVEMBER:

• The U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear the Washington, D.C. gun ban case.
• "The Outrage of the Week" section of the Alert debuts with a story about a 17-year old Olympic shooter who is charged for possessing two unopened boxes of shells in her SUV that was parked in a school's visitors lot.
• 89% of NRA-PVF's endorsed candidates win their races on Election Day!
• In a video posted on YouTube, Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards notes his belief that owning a handgun is merely a privilege, not a right.

DECEMBER:

• H.R. 4900-the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act of 2007"-is introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• After months of careful negotiation, NRA's work with Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) pays off with passage of H.R. 2640-"The National Instant Check System (NICS) Improvement Act." As we reported numerous times, passage of this bill is a win for American gun owners.
• In an astounding display of hypocrisy, Hillary Clinton issues a press release assailing Barack Obama for his past support of "banning all handguns," citing his position as one reason to "raise serious questions about his electability."

Dear Fellow NRA Member,
Working together, we scored a major victory in the media war to save the Second Amendment at our Celebration of American Values event in Washington, D.C.
At this history-making presidential event, the media lined up for blocks to see John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Duncan Hunter, and Bill Richardson look NRA members in the eye, tell us where they stand on the Second Amendment, and ask for our votes.
And for the first time in this presidential election, America's 80 million gun owners could hear these candidates, word for word, unfiltered, and undistorted by the media in presenting their views on our Constitutional rights.
Before you vote in the primaries, I urge you to visit www.NRAValues.org to hear where the candidates stand on the Second Amendment and decide for yourself who deserves your vote...
... And who doesn't.
Thank you for your loyalty to NRA and thank you for helping build a fortress of pro-firearm freedom voters around the Second Amendment in 2008.

1/5/2008


Outrage Of The Week!

Rapid Fire Mis-Reporting: This week's outrage comes from an Associated Press article (http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/14941809/detail.html), specifically a quote by Miami Police spokesman Will Moreno.



Legislation To Improve & Modernize BATFE Is Introduced: As we recently reported, two bills considered in the last Congress as H.R. 5005 & H.R. 5092 have been combined, improved, and re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 4900-the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act of 2007." H.R. 4900 is cosponsored by Representatives Steve King (R-Iowa) and Zack Space (D-Ohio).


STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

January 9, 2008


San Francisco Gun Ban Ruled Null and Void

NRA Wins Big in California State Court of Appeals

Fairfax, VA - The California State Court of Appeals announced today their decision to overturn one of the most restrictive gun bans in the country, following a legal battle by attorneys for the National Rifle Association (NRA) and a previous court order against the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

"Today's decision by the California State Court of Appeals is a big win for the law-abiding citizens and NRA Members of San Francisco," declared Chris W. Cox, NRA's chief lobbyist.

In 2005, NRA sought an injunction against the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to prevent them from enacting one of the nation's most restrictive gun bans. NRA won the injunction, but the City's mayor and Board of Supervisors ignored the court order and approved a set of penalties, including a $1,000 fine and a jail term of between 90 days and six months, for city residents who own firearms for lawful purposes in their own homes.

"We promised our California NRA members in 2005 that we would fight any gun ban instituted by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and we haven't given up that fight," continued Cox. "Today we see our second win for the Second Amendment against the San Francisco gun ban. We beat them once in court and the City's attorney appealed based on his personal disagreement with the court's first decision to overturn the ban. Now we've beaten them again. The California State Court of Appeals has upheld the state preemption law."

Today's decision came in the form of a 3-0 opinion in favor of the lower court ruling overturning the gun ban.

"This decision is a thoughtful and well-reasoned legal opinion," concluded Cox. "I'd like to thank our approximately 4 million members, including the hundreds of thousands of members in California, for their continued commitment to protecting our cherished freedoms."

-nra-

[SIZE=-1]Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.[/SIZE]

01/13/2008

D.C. Court of Appeals Blocks Reckless Lawsuit

On January 10, the District Columbia Court of Appeals found that the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act" (PLCAA) blocked lawsuits under D.C.'s "Strict Liability Act."

D.C. Files Brief in Heller Case:

On January 4, the District of Columbia filed its brief in District of Columbia v. Heller, now before the U.S. Supreme Court. The District is appealing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit's ruling that found D.C.'s bans on handguns, on having any gun assembled for use within the home, and on carrying a firearm within the home without a permit, violate the Second Amendment.

NRA-ILA Investigating Citigroup Issues:

In late December, 2007, a large and well-known firearms dealer was informed by a company called First Data -- which operates as Citi Merchant Services under license from Citigroup, Inc. -- that it would no longer handle the dealer's credit card processing business.

California Appeals Court Strikes Down San Francisco Handgun Ban!

On January 9, the California Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court ruling that struck down San Francisco's handgun ban as a violation of California's state preemption law. The ruling was in response to an NRA-led challenge to the ban.

Outrage of the Week:

This week's outrage comes courtesy of columnist Bernd Debusmann of Reuters News Service, and an article he recently penned. This story, masquerading as a legitimate news article, might as well be an anti-gun organization's press release.

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates )

Statement of the National Rifle Association

[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]By Wayne LaPierre And Chris Cox
On The Pending U.S. Supreme Court Case

In the coming months, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider the constitutionality of Washington, D.C.'s ban on handgun ownership and self-defense in law-abiding residents' homes. The Court will first address the question of whether the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as embodied in the Bill of Rights, protects the rights of individuals or a right of the government. If the Court agrees that this is an individual right, they will then determine if D.C.'s self-defense and handgun bans are constitutional.

The position of the National Rifle Association is clear. The Second Amendment protects the fundamental, individual right of law-abiding citizens to own firearms for any lawful purpose. Further, any law infringing this freedom, including a ban on self-defense and handgun ownership, is unconstitutional and provides no benefit to curbing crime. Rather, these types of restrictions only leave the law-abiding more susceptible to criminal attack.

The U.S. Government, through its Solicitor General, has filed an amicus brief in this case. We applaud the government's recognition that the Second Amendment protects a fundamental, individual right that is "central to the preservation of liberty." The brief also correctly recognizes that the D.C. statutes ban "a commonly-used and commonly-possessed firearm in a way that has no grounding in Framing-era practice," the Second Amendment applies to the District of Columbia, is not restricted to service in a militia and secures the natural right of self-defense.

However, the government's position is also that a "heightened" level of judicial scrutiny should be applied to these questions. The National Rifle Association believes that the Court should use the highest level of scrutiny in reviewing the D.C. gun ban. We further believe a complete ban on handgun ownership and self-defense in one's own home does not pass ANY level of judicial scrutiny. Even the government agrees that "the greater the scope of the prohibition and its impact on private firearm possession, the more difficult it will be to defend under the Second Amendment." A complete ban is the kind of infringement that is the greatest in scope. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit correctly ruled that D.C.'s statutes are unconstitutional. We strongly believe the ruling should be upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The National Rifle Association will be filing an amicus brief in this case and will provide additional information to our members as this case moves through the legal process.

Please refer questions to NRA Grassroots at 1-800-392-8683.
[/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]www.NRAILA.org
Write Your Representative
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Get Involved Locally
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Please do not reply to this email as you will not receive a response. This email is a broadcast email generated by an automated system. To contact NRA-ILA call 800-392-8683.
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Proposed Bill Could Ban Lead Ammunition in Massachusetts!

Please Contact Your State Legislator Today!

House Bill 783 and Senate Bill 558 introduced by State Representative Jay Kaufman (D-15th Middlesex) and State Senator Steven Tolman (D-2nd Suffolk & Middlesex) would create a more restrictive policy regarding the use of "toxic chemicals" in the Commonwealth. Hidden within the proposal from environmental and anti-gun extremists is what amounts to a ban on all common rifle and handgun ammunition.

"The Safer Alternatives Proposals" will create a program to replace ten "chemicals" with what proponents claim are safer alternatives. On the top of the list of targeted substances is lead, the common element used to make virtually all bullets. As proposed, this legislation could virtually shut down all shooting ranges as well as ban the sale and use of lead ammunition for self-defense, hunting and target practice in Massachusetts. Non-lead alternatives exist for ammunition but are significantly more expensive and, in many instances, have sub-standard performance characteristics. Shooting ranges already fall under federal EPA regulations concerning environmental impact and recent science and EPA guidelines show that lead ammunition on shooting ranges can be managed without detrimentally affecting the environment. Predictably, this legislation does not account for the serious impacts on shooting ranges and the sportsmen and gun owners who use them.

Please call or write your State Legislator and respectfully request that the lead ammunition be completely excluded from the scope of the legislation. This step is essential in order to protect the future availability of ammunition commonly used for self-defense, hunting and the shooting sports in the Commonwealth! Contact information for your State Legislator can be found at http://www.mass.gov/legis/.

1/21/2008

Briefs Filed in D.C. Gun Ban Case

As the date for Supreme Court argument in District of Columbia v. Heller approaches, the filing of briefs has begun. The District filed its brief last week. In addition, various "amicus curiae" (friend of the court) briefs were filed with the court.

Department of Justice Brief
Gun owners are understandably dismayed about the brief filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Hoping Something Will Stick To The Wall: Gun Ban Groups' Briefs
Nearly two dozen briefs have been filed with the U.S. Supreme Court by individuals and groups supporting D.C.'s bans on handguns, having a gun assembled within the home, and carrying a gun within the home.


Outrage of the Week: Are You A Bigot?

This week's Outrage comes from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which filed a friend of the court brief in the District of Columbia v. Heller case in support of keeping Washington, D.C.'s draconian gun ban on the books. According to a recent ADL release (http://www.adl.org/PresRele/SupremeCourt_33/5207_33.htm), "The League urged the Court to ensure that states retain the ability to keep guns out of the hands of 'violent bigots.'"


Leading Democratic Candidates Call for Severe Restrictions on our Second Amendment Rights:

With the Presidential nominating season in full swing, trying to pin down the various candidates' unequivocal stance on issues of import can often be difficult, if not impossible. Amidst their political posturing and refining of positions at the recent Las Vegas Caucus, Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), and former Senator John Edwards (D-NC), were asked a series of questions about the gun issue. All called for severe restrictions on our Second Amendment rights.
To view a video of the exchange, please visit our NRA-Political Victory Fund website (www.nrapvf.org) and click on the video feed in the center of the page.


STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

Gun Control Package Scheduled for Hearing in Massachusetts!

Please Contact Members of the Committee Today and Voice Your Opposition!

The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security abruptly announced it would hold a public hearing on a package of anti-gun bills pertaining to "Gun Trafficking and Gang Violence." The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, January 23, at 1:00 PM in room A-1 in the State House. The following list of legislation is on the agenda as a part of this anti-gun package:

• Senate, No. 1354, introduced by State Senator Jarrett T. Barrios (D-Middlesex, Suffolk, and Essex), is being touted as a measure to curtail illegal gun trafficking and “gun violence” among youth in the Commonwealth. However, this proposal would also place further regulations on licensed firearms owners and dealers by prohibiting anyone from possessing more than 15 firearms, and prohibiting the sale of more than 15 firearms to a law abiding person in any 1 year.

• Senate, No. 1383, sponsored by State Senator Cynthia S. Creem (D-First Middlesex and Norfolk), would prohibit law-abiding citizens from purchasing more than one handgun at a time, and would impose a 30-day waiting period between handgun purchases.

• House, No. 2293, presented by State Representative Paul C. Casey (D-Thirty-first Middlesex), would require the ballistic “fingerprinting” of all firearms sold in Massachusetts. This bill would make it a requirement for manufacturers to include a shell casing to be marked with the make, model, caliber, serial number, weapon type and the date of which the casing was discharged. The sale of firearms that do not include a shell casing would be prohibited.

State Representative David Paul Linsky (D-Fifth Middlesex) has introduced three anti-gun bills, HB 2340, HB 2342, and HB 2343.

• House, No. 2340 would require federally licensed firearms dealers to deliver identifying projectiles and shell casings from firearms sold in the Commonwealth to the Criminal History Systems Board.

• House, No. 2342 would regulate all aspects of the design, manufacture, firearm reliability, and sale of handguns in Massachusetts.

• House, No. 2343 would further regulate the sale and licensing of assault weapons in the Commonwealth.

Please contact the members of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose this package of bills and any other proposal that limits the rights of lawful gun owners.


Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee Members:
Senator James E. Timilty (D-Bristol and Norfolk), Chair
(617) 722-1222
James.Timilty@state.ma.us

Senator Stephen M. Brewer (D-Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin)
Vice Chair
(617) 722-1540
Stephen.Brewer@state.ma.us

Senator Stephen J. Buoniconti (D-Hampden)
(617) 722-1660
Stephen.Buoniconti@state.ma.us

Senator Gale D. Candaras (D-First Hampden and Hampshire)
(617) 722-1291
Gale.Candaras@State.MA.US

Senator Patricia D. Jehlen (D-Second Middlesex)
(617) 722-1578
Patricia.Jehlen@state.ma.us

Senator Scott P. Brown (R-Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex)
(617) 722-1555
Scott.P.Brown@state.ma.us

Representative Michael A. Costello (D-First Essex)
(617) 722-2230
Rep.MichaelCostello@hou.state.ma.us

Representative Harold P. Naughton, Jr. (D-Twelfth Worcester)
(617) 722-2013
Rep.HaroldNaughton@hou.state.ma.us

Representative Timothy J. Toomey, Jr. (D-Twenty-Sixth Middlesex)
(617) 722-2692
Rep.TimothyToomey@hou.state.ma.us

Representative Bruce J. Ayers (D-First Norfolk)
(617) 722-2230
Rep.BruceAyers@hou.state.ma.us

Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Sixteenth Suffolk)
(617) 722-2230
Rep.KathiReinstein@hou.state.ma.us

Representative Christopher J. Donelan (D-Second Franklin)
(617) 722-2230
Rep.ChristopherDonelan@hou.state.ma.us

Representative Michael F. Rush (D-Tenth Suffolk)
(617) 722-2637
Rep.MikeRush@hou.state.ma.us

Representative Geraldo Alicea (D-Sixth Worcester)
(617) 722-2060
Rep.GeraldoAlicea@HOU.State.MA.US

Representative Stephen L. Dinatale (D-Third Worcester)
(617) 722-2460
Rep.StephenDiNatale@Hou.State.MA.US

Representative Jeffrey D. Perry (D-Fifth Barnstable)
(617) 722-2396
Rep.JeffreyPerry@hou.state.ma.us

Representative Bradford Hill (R-Fourth Essex)
(617) 722-2489
Brad.Hill@state.ma.us

1/25/2008

[SIZE=+2]Update On D.C. Gun Ban Case[/SIZE]

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the District of Columbia v. Heller case on March 18th.
Former Acting Solicitor General for the Clinton Administration, Walter Dellinger, will argue for the District of Columbia, while Alan Gura will argue for the plaintiffs.
The brief for those seeking to overturn the D.C. ban will be due on February 4; friend of the court briefs supporting their side will be due a week later.
We'll continue to update you as the case progresses.

[SIZE=+1]Outrage of the Week - PETA Wants Inmates Running Asylum:[/SIZE]

This week's outrage comes from the Smith County Sheriff's Jail near Dallas, Texas. Sheriff J.B. Smith recently received a fax from the national headquarters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), one of the largest animal-rights groups in the country, which is also virulent in its opposition to hunting and fishing.
PETA asked the sheriff and jail officials to refrain from serving any meat products to inmate Christopher McCuin - a man jailed for murdering his girlfriend and "possibly participating in cannibalism" of the victim's body. PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich wrote, "It is up to [the Sheriff] to prevent McCuin from contributing to any more suffering and death."

[SIZE=+1]Be On The Lookout In Your State![/SIZE]

In 2007, the sponsor of "encoded ammunition" legislation in Maryland urged lawmakers across the country to introduce the same kind of legislation in their states. This legislation would require ammunition manufacturers to engrave a serial number on "the base of the bullet and the inside of the cartridge casing of each round" of ammunition for popular sporting caliber center-fire rifles, all center-fire pistols, all .22 rimfire rifles and pistols, and all 12 gauge shotguns.

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

2/02/2008

[SIZE=+1]Brady Rankings:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]More Gun Laws, More Violent Crime[/SIZE]

In January, the Brady Campaign released its annual "State Report Cards," scoring the states according to their gun laws.
Once again, the Brady rankings clearly demonstrate that states that have the most gun control tend to have the most violent crime.

[SIZE=+1]New Gun Show Legislation Introduced:[/SIZE]
As expected, anti-gun Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced his "gun show" legislation this week.

[SIZE=+1]Support Legislation To Improve & Modernize BATFE:[/SIZE]
As we've recently reported, two bills considered in the last Congress--H.R. 5005 & H.R. 5092--have been combined, improved, and re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 4900 -- the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act of 2007." H.R. 4900 is cosponsored by Representatives Steve King (R-Iowa) and Zack Space (D-Ohio).

[SIZE=+1]Senate May Consider Change In National Park Firearm Rules:[/SIZE]
The U.S. Senate is likely to consider S. 2483, the "National Forests, Parks, Public Land, and Reclamation Projects Authorization Act," next week. If that happens, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) is expected to offer an amendment to S. 2483 to allow state law to govern the carrying and transportation of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges.

[SIZE=+1]New Video Component To Grassroots Alert:[/SIZE]
Starting this week, we're adding video coverage to the Grassroots Alert when possible. To view this week's "Grassroots Minute" video, please click here: mms://media.streamtoyou.com/nra/020108ila_minute.wmv.

[SIZE=+1]Outrage of the Week -- Crossing the Line:[/SIZE]

This week's outrage comes from Pasquotank County in North Carolina.
If you want a gun permit in Pasquotank, you can go to the new Pasquotank Public Service Building in Elizabeth City, but you must stand in line. The only problem is that you, a law-abiding citizen, may have to stand in that line with convicted sex offenders. That's because if you're there to get a gun permit, there's only one line you're allowed to stand in; and the sign at the head of that line reads, "Gun Permits/Sex Offender Registration."

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

The SHOT Show is one of the biggest conventions around when it comes to firearms, but its doors are closed to the public. Coming up Monday, February 4 and Tuesday, February 5, you'll get VIP access to the latest firearms, accessories, outdoor products and more when NRANews.com broadcasts live from the 2008 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Get up close and personal with some of the biggest names in the industry, and get sneak peeks at the products that won't be on sale for months!
Tune in to www.nranews.com on Monday, February 4 and Tuesday, February 5 for special LIVE broadcasts of "Cam and Company" at 3 p.m. Eastern / noon Pacific. Hear the latest news from the convention floor, talk to industry leaders via NRANews.com's talkback feature, and see the incredible new offerings from the world's finest firearms manufacturers.

And if you miss "Cam and Company" live, catch the replay on www.nranews.com and Sirius Patriot 144 from 9 to midnight Eastern.

Plus, on Friday, February 8, "Cam and Company" will be broadcasting from the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. You know how important 2008 is to gun owners. Now you'll get a chance to hear from some of the country's biggest conservative stars and find out what they think about Hillary, Obama, the D.C. Gun Ban and other issues that are vitally important to our Second Amendment freedom.
NRANews.com is hitting the road, and we want you to come along for the ride.


Tune in for our SHOT Show and CPAC coverage all next week on NRANews.com, your first source for Second Amendment news and information!



----------------------------------
[SIZE=-1]National Rifle Association * 11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA 22030[/SIZE]

2/9/2008

[SIZE=+1]Vice President Cheney Signs On[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]To Congressional Amicus Curiae Brief:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Affirms Unequivocal Support Of Second[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Amendment As An Individual Right[/SIZE]

Today, in his capacity as President of the United States Senate, Vice President Cheney signed on to the congressional amicus curiae brief affirming the individual rights view of the Second Amendment. As Americans, we are grateful and fortunate to have a friend of freedom in the Vice President.

[SIZE=+1]NRA And U.S. Lawmakers Join D.C. V. Heller Plaintiffs In Filing Briefs With U.S. Supreme Court[/SIZE]:

On Thursday, February 7, NRA and the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund submitted an amicus curiae brief to the United States Supreme Court in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. This "friend of the court" brief supports a lower federal appeals court decision holding that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms, and asserts that the D.C. bans on handguns, on carrying firearms within the home, and on possession of loaded or operable firearms for self-defense violate that fundamental right.

[SIZE=+1]New Microstamping Legislation Introduced:[/SIZE]

This week, Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) and Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) introduced "microstamping" legislation titled the "National Crime Gun Identification Act of 2007." The bill is co‑sponsored in the Senate by Senators Feinstein (D-CA), Menendez (D-NJ), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Durbin (D-IL), Schumer (D-NY), and Reed (D-RI).

[SIZE=+1]Commonsense Move Of The Week: [/SIZE]

In last week's "Outrage of the Week," we reported on Pasquotank County, in North Carolina, requiring those obtaining a gun permit to stand in the same line as convicted sex offenders.
This week, we're happy to report that Pasquotank County officials have decided to change the sign in the Public Service Building that required gun permit seekers and sex offenders to register at the same window.

[SIZE=+1]Outrage of the Week--"Hypocrite Hillary"[/SIZE]

In December, we reported on the hypocrisy of Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), who, in her zeal to discredit Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) on the gun issue for her own political gain, assailed Obama for his past support of "banning all handguns," citing his position as one reason to "raise serious questions about his electability."
And now, with the Democratic Presidential nomination process amounting to what only a few months ago would have been an unthinkable dead heat, we continue to see the political contenders pulling out all of the rhetorical stops in an attempt to disingenuously distinguish themselves as the "candidate of choice" for their constituency. We also continue to see the candidates test the limits of credulity in the process.
Such is the case for "Hypocrite Hillary," who is at it again.
If you see something that you feel would be a good candidate for the "Outrage of the Week!" section, please send it to: freedomsvoice@nrahq.org. Please be sure to send additional background and citations where available.

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

2/16/2008

[SIZE=+1]Update On Right-To-Carry[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]In National Parks And Wildlife Refuges[/SIZE]

The current regulations on possession of firearms in national parks--which generally prohibit possession, carry or transportation of loaded or uncased firearms--were proposed in 1982 and finalized in 1983. Similar restrictions apply in national wildlife refuges. It is now time to amend those regulations to reflect the changed legal situation with respect to state laws on carrying firearms.

[SIZE=+1]State Attorneys General And Former Senior Officials Of The DOJ File Briefs In D.C. Case:[/SIZE]

NRA-ILA is pleased to note the recent filings by a majority of state Attorneys General, and by former senior officials of the Department of Justice (DOJ) of significant amicus curiae briefs with the United States Supreme Court in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. These briefs support the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, holding that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms, and therefore that the D.C. bans on handguns, on carrying firearms within the home, and on possession of loaded or operable firearms for self-defense violate that fundamental right.

[SIZE=+1]Outrage of the Week-Nagin Makes A Bad Point:[/SIZE]

This week's outrage comes to us from New Orleans.
You may have seen the picture (if not, you may click here to see it). It's a shot of beleaguered New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, looking gleeful and appearing to point an AR15-type rifle directly at Police Superintendent Warren Riley while Riley holds a similar firearm. The picture was taken while the two were on the floor of the Superdome viewing a collection of new equipment to be used largely for the city's SWAT team.


[SIZE=+1]Support Legislation To Improve & Modernize BATFE:[/SIZE]

As we've recently reported, two bills considered in the last session of Congress as H.R. 5005 and H.R. 5092 have been combined, improved, and re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 4900 - the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act." H.R. 4900 is cosponsored by Congressmen Steve King (R-Iowa) and Zack Space (D-Ohio).

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

2/22/2008


Bush Administration to Propose New Rule
Regarding Right-to-Carry in National Parks

Friday, February 22, 2008

Fairfax, Va. - At the request of the Bush Administration and 51 members of the United States Senate led by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prohibition of firearms on agency land will be revised in the following weeks. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is leading the effort to amend the existing policy regarding the carrying and transportation of firearms in National Parks and wildlife refuges.
"Law-abiding citizens should not be prohibited from protecting themselves and their families while enjoying America's National Parks and wildlife refuges," said Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist. "Under this proposal, federal parks and wildlife refuges will mirror the state firearm laws for state parks. This is an important step in the right direction."
These new regulations, when finalized, will provide uniformity across our nation's federal lands and put an end to the patchwork of regulations that governed different lands managed by different federal agencies. In the past, only Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service lands allowed the carrying of firearms, while National Park lands did not.
The current regulations on possession, carry or transportation of loaded or uncased firearms in national parks were proposed in 1982 and finalized in 1983. Similar restrictions apply in national wildlife refuges. The NRA believes it is time to amend those regulations to reflect the changed legal situation with respect to state laws on carrying firearms.
The effect of these now-outdated regulations on people who carry firearms for self-protection was far from the forefront at the time these regulations were adopted. As of the end of 1982, only six states routinely allowed citizens to carry handguns for self-defense. Currently, 48 states have a process for issuance of licenses or permits to allow law-abiding citizens to legally carry firearms for self-defense.
The move for regulatory change by the Administration will restore the rights of law-abiding gun owners who wish to transport and carry firearms for lawful purposes in most National Park lands and will make the laws consistent with state law where these lands are located. Fifty-one U.S. Senators from both parties sent a letter to the Department of Interior late last year supporting the move to render state firearms laws applicable to National Park lands.
"These changes will respect the Second Amendment rights of honest citizens, and we look forward to the issuance of a final rule this year," concluded Cox.

-NRA-

Click Here to read Secretary Kempthorne's letter to Sen. Crapo

Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

Never happen in MA!

2/23/2008

[SIZE=+1]Interior Department To Propose
New Rules Regarding Right-to-Carry In National Parks[/SIZE]

After nearly five years of effort by NRA-ILA, the U.S. Department of the Interior has finally responded to the many requests for a change in its policy on carrying and transporting firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. In a letter hand-delivered today to the U.S. Senators who wrote him asking for this policy change, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has directed Lyle Laverty, Assistant Secretary for Fish, Game and Parks, to "develop and propose for public comment by April 30, Federal regulations that will update firearms policies on these lands to reflect existing Federal laws (such as those prohibiting weapons in Federal buildings) and the laws by which the host States govern transporting and carrying of firearms on their analogous public lands."

[SIZE=+1]Following The Playbook To A "T":[/SIZE]

One week after the shootings at Northern Illinois University, the Violence Policy Center (VPC) reverted to its playbook by exploiting this tragedy to advance its anti-gun political agenda.

[SIZE=+1]Kennedy Introduces A Handgun Ban In Congress.Again:[/SIZE]

In 1974, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) said that the "manufacture and sale of handguns should be terminated. Existing handguns should be acquired by the states." Since then, Kennedy has been the most anti-handgun member of the Senate, having introduced legislation to ban handguns, register handguns, license handgun owners, ban ammunition, authorize the Consumer Products Safety Commission to prohibit the manufacture of firearms and ammunition, and impose waiting periods on handgun purchases.

[SIZE=+1]Grassroots Minute Video:[/SIZE]

To view this week's "Grassroots Minute" video, please click here: mms://media.streamtoyou.com/nra/2008/ilamin022208.wmv.

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

3/02/2008

REGISTER TO VOTE OR REGISTER YOUR GUNS-

-
The Choice Is Yours

In 1994, a race for the U.S. House was decided by four votes. In 1998, a U.S. Senate race was decided by 400 votes out of 400,000 cast. In 2002, an anti-gun candidate won a state primary in Arizona by five votes. Last year, a pro-gun State Senator in Virginia was re-elected by less than 100 votes. And of course, in the 2000 presidential election, 537 votes in Florida elected George Bush U.S. President over Al Gore.
Think one vote doesn't count? History is replete with examples such as these that demonstrate the importance of every single vote.
No doubt, many elections this year will be determined by the slimmest of margins. Will your vote make the difference? To ensure that pro-gun candidates prevail, NRA-ILA has launched an aggressive voter registration drive.




Outrage Of The Week -- For American Hunters and Shooters Association, the Truth Hurts:

The shills for anti-gun politicians that make up the leadership of the American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA) are up to their old tricks again. Once again, they are trying to raise money from hunters and sportsmen, whom they hope to fool into believing they share their interests. But when NRA-ILA puts the word out that AHSA is an anti-gun front group, these "sportsmen" get a little sensitive, calling ILA staff "right-wing attack dogs" and calling gun owners who support the right to own firearms to defend themselves "self-defense whackos." (To see the comments Ricker made on a popular pro-gun blog, please click here.) But the truth is, AHSA and its anti-gun leadership have supported anti-gun lawsuits and gun bans, and its leaders have given money to the Brady Campaign and to anti-gun politicians like John Kerry, Al Gore, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, and Ted Kennedy.
Sometimes the truth hurts. And from their reaction, this time it hurts a lot.

Support Legislation To Improve & Modernize BATFE:

As we've reported, two bills considered in the last session of Congress as H.R. 5005 and H.R. 5092 have been combined, improved, and re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as H.R. 4900 -- the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act."
H.R. 4900 is cosponsored by Congressmen Steve King (R-Iowa) and Zack Space (D-Ohio).

Grassroots Minute Video: To view this week's "Grassroots Minute" video, please click here: mms://media.streamtoyou.com/nra/2008/ilamin022908.wmv.

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

3/09/2008

[SIZE=+1]Anti-Gun Politicians, Are You Listening?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]NAS Says Ballistic Imaging Database[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]"Should Not Be Established"[/SIZE]

On March 5, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released Ballistic Imaging, the report of a committee it assigned to evaluate the feasibility, accuracy, and technical capability of a possible national database of so-called "ballistic" images from all new guns sold in the United States.


[SIZE=+1]Outrage Of The Week -- Political Hypocrisy By Obama:[/SIZE]

A March 2 commentary in National Review Online (NRO) demonstrates the hypocrisy that often abounds in the campaigns of anti-Second Amendment candidates. This time, the transgressor is Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

[SIZE=+1]Grassroots Minute Video:[/SIZE] To view this week's "Grassroots Minute" video, please click here: mms://media.streamtoyou.com/nra/2008/ilamin030708.wmv.

[SIZE=+1]New Orleans Police Chief Suggests Gun Ban:[/SIZE]

Pity New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley. When it comes to firearms, Chief Riley (along with his boss, Mayor Ray Nagin) just doesn't get it.

[SIZE=+1]Plan To Attend Free Louisville Grassroots Workshop![/SIZE]

The NRA-ILA Grassroots Division will host its FREEGrassroots Workshop in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings in Louisville. This Workshop has been a regular part of NRA's Annual Meetings for more than a decade. At this event, you will hear from NRA officers, NRA staff, and your fellow NRA members on what you can do in your own community to ensure victory for the Second Amendment in this year's elections.

[SIZE=+1]Additional Grassroots Event Planned For Louisville![/SIZE]

In addition to the FREEGrassroots Workshop being held in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings in Louisville, the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division is holding an additional FREE Special Session in Louisville.

[SIZE=+1]Volunteers Needed for 2008 NRA Annual Meetings:[/SIZE]

The 2008 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be an exciting weekend as thousands of NRA members will come together May 16-18, 2008, in Louisville, KY. You can contribute to the success of our meeting by participating as an Annual Meeting Volunteer.

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

3/16/2008

Supreme Court To Hear Arguments In Heller Case Next Week

Next Tuesday, March 18, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in District of Columbia v. Heller. The case marks the first time a Second Amendment challenge to a firearm law has reached the Supreme Court since 1939!
To help you more easily access and navigate through all of the detailed information we've compiled on this historic, critically important case, we've developed a new webpage-- http://www.nraila.org/heller/ --for you to use. On this page, you'll be able to read related articles we've written on District of Columbia v. Heller, and view the dozens of amicus briefs filed in the case. Please be sure to visit http://www.nraila.org/heller/ today!

Stop BATFE Abuses -- Urge Your Congressman To Cosponsor H.R. 4900:

Continuing concern about the treatment of firearm dealers by BATFE has caused members of the U.S. House of Representatives--with NRA-ILA's full support--to push for new and improved reform legislation. That push has taken the form of H.R. 4900 -- the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act."
NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox has written a comprehensive article on this issue that will appear in the April issues of NRA's magazines. In the article, Cox pledges his commitment to winning the reforms that H.R. 4900 proposes, but cautions that, "the key to our ultimate success will be the dedication and commitment of NRA members who call and write the Congress, and who turn out to campaign for candidates who support our Second Amendment rights." (To read this article now, please click here.)

D.C.'s "Voluntary" Gun Search Program Raises Concerns:

It's quite a quandary for the leaders of our nation's capitol. They govern a city that has had an outright ban on handguns for more than three decades, yet they're constantly looking for panaceas for the District's high rate of gun crime. How ironic it is that a city that should be an anti-gunner's utopia is constantly plagued with "gun violence." While dismissing logic and burying their heads in the sand, these leaders continue to try to avoid the unavoidable conclusion: Criminals don't obey the law and have been ignoring the gun ban since its inception. Only the law-abiding obey the law.
Enter their latest attempt at a remedy--the so-called "Safe Homes Initiative."

Grassroots Minute Video:

To view this week's "Grassroots Minute" video, please click here: mms://media.streamtoyou.com/nra/2008/ilamin031408.wmv.

Plan To Attend Free Louisville Grassroots Workshop!

The NRA-ILA Grassroots Division will host its FREEGrassroots Workshop in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings in Louisville. This Workshop has been a regular part of NRA's Annual Meetings for more than a decade. At this event, you will hear from NRA officers, NRA staff, and your fellow NRA members on what you can do in your own community to ensure victory for the Second Amendment in this year's elections.

Additional Grassroots Event Planned For Louisville!

In addition to the FREEGrassroots Workshop being held in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings in Louisville, the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division is holding an additional FREE Special Session in Louisville.

Volunteers Needed for 2008 NRA Annual Meetings:

The 2008 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be an exciting weekend as thousands of NRA members will come together May 16-18, 2008, in Louisville, KY. You can contribute to the success of our meeting by participating as an Annual Meeting Volunteer.

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

3/19/2008



Supreme Court Hears Arguments in D.C. Gun Ban Case


Fairfax, Va.-Today, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in District of Columbia v. Heller, a case the Court has stated is "limited to the following question: Whether Washington, D.C.'s bans [on handguns, on having guns in operable condition in the home and on carrying guns within the home] violate the Second Amendment rights of individuals who are not affiliated with any state-regulated militia, but who wish to keep handguns and other firearms for private use in their homes."
The case came before the Supreme Court on appeal by the District of Columbia, after a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit declared the city's gun bans unconstitutional. The panel's decision was upheld by the full Court of Appeals.
The Court of Appeals decision--consistent with the views of the Framers of the Bill of Rights, respected legal commentators of the 19th century, the Supreme Court's ruling in U.S. v. Cruikshank (1876), numerous court decisions of the 19th century, the Supreme Court's ruling in U.S. v. Miller (1939), the position of the U.S. Department of Justice, and the vast majority of Second Amendment scholars today-concluded that "the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms. That right existed prior to the formation of the new government under the Constitution and was premised on the private use of arms for activities such as hunting and self-defense, the latter being understood as resistance to either private lawlessness or the depredations of a tyrannical government (or a threat from abroad)."
In today's argument, the Justices aggressively questioned advocates for all sides, including Walter Dellinger for the District, Solicitor General Paul Clement for the Department of Justice, and Alan Gura for the plaintiffs challenging D.C.'s law.
While it would be a mistake to predict the outcome of a case from questions at oral argument, some justices' questions clearly suggested where they stand-as when Chief Justice John Roberts, questioning the District's Dellinger, scoffed at the idea that a citizen awakened by an intruder in the middle of the night could "turn on the lamp . pick up [his] reading glasses," and disengage a trigger lock. Dellinger back-pedaled from D.C.'s longstanding position that its laws prohibit self-defense, claiming that D.C. actually supports citizens having functional firearms for defense.
Justices extensively questioned all three attorneys on the meaning and effect of the Second Amendment's "militia clause," with Dellinger taking the extreme position that unless a state "had attributes of [a state] militia contrary to a Federal law," the Second Amendment would have no effect as a restraint on legislation. Several justices seemed to disagree strongly with that view, with Justice Antonin Scalia noting that even if the militia clause describes the purpose of the Second Amendment, it's not unusual for a law to be written more broadly than necessary for its main purpose.
Justice Anthony Kennedy questioned the attorneys very actively, especially on the importance of self-defense in the Founding era. Justice Kennedy suggested that even the Supreme Court's 1939 Miller decision-which gun control advocates have often wrongly cited as protecting only a "collective" right-was "deficient" and may not have addressed the "interests that must have been foremost in the Framers' minds when they were concerned about guns being taken away from the people who needed them for their defense."
Plaintiffs' attorney Gura-in addition to responding to many hypothetical questions-noted that the Second Amendment was clearly derived from common law rights described by Blackstone and other 18th Century commentators. Although the militia clause "gives us some guide post as to how we look at the Second Amendment," Gura said, "it's not the exclusive purpose of the Second Amendment."
NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox (who both attended the arguments) commented, "Washington, D.C.'s ban on keeping handguns and functional firearms in the home for self-defense is unreasonable and unconstitutional under any standard. We remain hopeful that the Supreme Court will agree with the overwhelming majority of the American people, more than 300 members of Congress, 31 state attorneys general and the NRA that the Second Amendment protects the fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms, and that Washington, D.C.'s bans on handguns and functional firearms in the home for self-defense should be struck down."
Amicus briefs filed with the Supreme Court in support of the Court of Appeals' decision included those by the National Rifle Association and the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund; Vice-President Dick Cheney (in his capacity as President of the Senate) and Members of Congress; the state attorneys general; and noted Second Amendment scholars.

All the briefs in the case are available at www.nraila.org/heller.



Listen to the audio recording of the oral arguments (RealPlayer required)

View the transcript (PDF format)

3/23/2008

[SIZE=+1]Landmark Gun Ban Case Heard By Supreme Court[/SIZE]

On March 18, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in District of Columbia v. Heller, a case the Court has stated is "limited to the following question: Whether Washington, D.C.'s bans [on handguns, on having guns in operable condition in the home and on carrying guns within the home] violate the Second Amendment rights of individuals who are not affiliated with any state-regulated militia, but who wish to keep handguns and other firearms for private use in their homes."
Most in the Supreme Court chamber seemed to agree that the Second Amendment protects an individual right. The issues that were most in contention included the meaning of the words "keep" and "bear," and whether the amendment protects the possession of arms only during militia service or also for self-defense; whether a total ban on handguns is a "reasonable" regulation of firearms; whether restrictions on the right to arms should be subject to "strict scrutiny," or legislatures or courts should be able to decide what is "reasonable;" and what kinds of regulations would be "reasonable" under the Second Amendment.


[SIZE=+1]Stop BATFE Abuses -- Urge Your Congressman To Cosponsor H.R. 4900:[/SIZE]

Continuing concern about the treatment of firearm dealers by BATFE has caused members of the U.S. House of Representatives--with NRA-ILA's full support--to push for new and improved reform legislation. That push has taken the form of H.R. 4900 -- the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act."

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

3/30/2008

[SIZE=+1]More Proof That Americans[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Support The Right To Keep And Bear Arms[/SIZE]

Need more confirmation that a majority of Americans support the Right to Keep and Bear Arms? Look no further than the results of a Gallup poll, which were reported in a March 27, Gallup.com article. The poll found that an overwhelming majority of the United States public-- 73% -- believes that the Second Amendment guarantees the right of Americans to own firearms.


[SIZE=+1]Controversial Gun Program Back In The News:[/SIZE]

Last November, we reported on a contentious program proposed by the Boston police department, whereby police officers would seek "voluntary" permission to enter and search people's homes (and specifically, children's bedrooms) for drugs and firearms-without notice or warrants.


[SIZE=+1]Stop BATFE Abuses -- Urge Your Congressman To Cosponsor H.R. 4900:[/SIZE]

Continuing concern about the treatment of firearm dealers by BATFE has caused members of the U.S. House of Representatives--with NRA-ILA's full support--to push for new and improved reform legislation. That push has taken the form of H.R. 4900 -- the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act."


[SIZE=+1]Plan To Attend Free Louisville Grassroots Workshop![/SIZE]

The NRA-ILA Grassroots Division will host its FREEGrassroots Workshop in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings in Louisville. This Workshop has been a regular part of NRA's Annual Meetings for more than a decade. At this event, you will hear from NRA officers, NRA staff, and your fellow NRA members on what you can do in your own community to ensure victory for the Second Amendment in this year's elections.


[SIZE=+1]Additional Grassroots Event Planned For Louisville![/SIZE]

In addition to the FREEGrassroots Workshop being held in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings in Louisville, the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division is holding an additional FREE Special Session in Louisville.


[SIZE=+1]Volunteers Needed for 2008 NRA Annual Meetings:[/SIZE]

The 2008 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be an exciting weekend as thousands of NRA members will come together May 16-18, 2008, in Louisville, KY. You can contribute to the success of our meeting by participating as an Annual Meeting Volunteer.

[SIZE=+1]Grassroots Minute Video:[/SIZE]

To view this week's "Grassroots Minute" video,
please click here: mms://media.streamtoyou.com/nra/2008/ilamin032808.wmv.

STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates)

4/3/2008




Massachusetts: Gun Owners' Action League to Hold April Event with Special Guests Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox!
Make Plans to Attend This Exciting Event!

The Gun Owners' Action League will be holding their April Heritage Program Event on Saturday, April 12 at The Lantana in Randolph, MA. Special guests will include NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox.

Date: Saturday, April 12

Time: Doors open at 6:00 PM
Dinner at 7:00 PM

Location: The Lantana
43 Scanlon Drive
Randolph, MA 02368
Cost: Tickets for this event are $50.00
Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Wayne and to meet with your fellow gun owners in Massachusetts!
For tickets, please contact the GOAL office at 508-393-5333
For a ticket order form, please click here.

Please note that the deadline for ticket sales is Monday, April 7. Advance ticket sales only. There is no general admission for this event.