Gun Owners of America (GOA)

[unioncountyslayer]

"Oh s---! We got a lot of postcards and e-mails from GOA members."

-- As stated by a Congressional office to GOA

Thursday, October 5, 2006

Thanks to your hard work, gun rights have taken two steps forward in

recent days.

The quote above shows the reaction from one Congressional office in

response to the number of postcards and e-mails that GOA members sent

in response to the McCarthy gun grab (HR 1415).

GOA members let their Representatives know they didn't want an

expansion of the Brady Law, and the activism paid off handsomely.

The bill is dead for now.

But first, there is the Vitter-Jindal Emergency Protection

legislation that we asked you to support in July.

EMERGENCY PROTECTION MEANS NO MORE GUN CONFISCATION

You will remember that in the wake of Hurricane Katrina last year,

federal and local police stole firearms from New Orleans residents in

the name of "keeping the people safe." To combat this, GOA has

worked this year in several states (including Louisiana) to

specifically outlaw this type of activity.

GOA also worked for the enactment of this legislation at the federal

level, and in July, the Emergency Protection language overwhelmingly

passed both houses of Congress.

After the Senate vote, one office told GOA: "They [the Senators]

obviously got your message loud and clear. It was the most lopsided

gun vote I have ever seen."

The vote was lopsided... and it was significant as well. The

Emergency Protection language makes it illegal for federal agents to

confiscate firearms during an emergency or major disaster.

Senator David Vitter (R-LA) thanked GOA for its efforts in pushing

his amendment. The GOA effort "was a huge help, and it was very

effective," Vitter said. "I look forward to working on many other

issues with GOA."

The Vitter-Jindal amendment is now on the President's desk -- as part

of the Homeland Security appropriations bill -- where it awaits his

almost certain signature.

BRADY EXPANSION IS DEAD

Then there was the defeat of the McCarthy gun grab. This was an

uphill task, as early on, the bill was expected to easily pass the

House of Representatives.

But GOA members and activists overwhelmingly responded to our

internet and postal alerts over the August recess, resulting in

untold thousands of postcards and e-mails being dumped on

legislators' desks.

The resulting tidal wave of grassroots opposition has buried this

bill as legislative offices on Capitol Hill have told GOA, "We've

heard your postcards and e-mails loud and clear!"

It's a good thing those postcards and e-mails were sent by you, too,

because GOA was the only Second Amendment group in Washington

opposing McCarthy's attack.

The House Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote on HR 1415

earlier last month. At that time, the committee reported two

firearms-related bills to the floor of the House -- but they

specifically passed over the McCarthy bill (even though it was

scheduled to come up for a vote).

Gun Owners of America opposed the McCarthy bill, as it would spend

nearly $1 billion dollars to further prop up the unconstitutional

Brady Law. Of the 35 cosponsors, 34 are rated "F" on GOA's

scorecard... the remaining one is rated "D."

What has been surprising is how close this bill has come to being

passed under congressional leadership that claims to be pro-gun. It

already passed the House once, in October of 2002, but was killed in

the senate when GOA teamed up with former Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH) to

block the bill.

Thanks again for all your hard work. You have reminded the

Congressional leadership that they should leave the McCarthy gun ban

alone and that it's "good politics" to pass pro-gun amendments like

the Vitter-Jindal bill.

Thank you!