GOA set for new offensive as more Reps. jump on the full Lautenberg repeal
— Last chance to send Western Union Mailgram and sign petition

The momentum in support of Rep. Chenoweth’s bill to repeal the Lautenberg gun ban continues to grow. The list of cosponsors to H.R. 1009 is now up to 29, as Rep. Chenoweth’s bill continues to be the “bill of choice” for Representatives to cosponsor. (Its nearest competitor has only 17 cosponsors.)

As mentioned in last month’s alert, GOA personnel will join Rep. Chenoweth and representatives of several grassroots organizations this upcoming Monday to focus attention on the dangers of the Lautenberg gun ban. GOA will be calling on other Representatives to join Mrs. Chenoweth and cosponsor H.R. 1009.

Check out the following list of cosponsors to H.R. 1009. If your legislator is not listed, send him a Western Union mailgram and encourage him to get on the stick!

     BUNNING (R-KY)      KIM (R-CA)
     CANNON (R-UT)       LaHOOD (R-IL)
     CHAMBLISS (R-GA)    LEWIS, R (R-KY)
     COBURN (R-OK)       McINTOSH (R-IN)
     COOKSEY (R-LA)      PAUL (R-TX)
     CRAPO (R-ID)        PICKETT (D-VA)
     CUBIN (R-WY)        SKEEN (R-NM)
     DICKEY (R-AR)       SMITH (R-MI)
     DOOLITTLE (R-CA)    SPENCE (R-SC)
     GIBBONS (R-NV)      STUMP (R-AZ)
     GOODE (D-VA)        THORNBERRY (R-TX)
     HASTINGS (R-WA)     WATTS (R-OK)
     HERGER (R-CA)       WICKER (R-MS)          
     HILL (R-MT)         YOUNG, D (R-AK)
     HOSTETTLER (R-IN)

Bureaucrats Throw in the Towel on Fingerprints (for now)

Gun owners and liberty activists won a stunning victory in Alabama by defeating the Department of Public Safety’s plan to fingerprint driver’s license applicants and encode the print in government computers. Understanding that computerizing fingerprints into driver’s license data bases is part of the architecture for gun owner registration, GOA joined efforts to oppose this scheme.

Confirming GOA concerns was a statement by U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich on CNN calling for the computerized scanning of gun buyers fingerprints through the so-called “national instant check.”

Thanks need to go to Linda Muller’s “Fight the Fingerprint” e-mail list , Cyndee Parker’s Coalition to Repeal the Fingerprint Law in Georgia, and all those who helped them as well.

Gun Owners rising up against FBI Fingerprint Registration

Gun owners are winning victories against fingerprinting in suprising places. On Monday, July 7, 1997 the board in the major suburban Virginia jurisdiction of Fairfax County (just outside of Washington, DC) defeated a proposal to fingerprint concealed carry applicants on a 5 to 5 tie vote.

Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, South Dakota and, of course, Vermont are among several states that do not fingerprint persons who get concealed carry permits. Pennsylvania, with over five hundred thousand permits issued, has little or no problem with honest gun owners carrying for self-defense.

Sadly an effort in Ohio to fingerprint concealed carry applicants is being led by Reps. Bill Batchelder (R-81) and Joy Padgett (R-95). GOA informed Rep. Batcheleder in a one-on-one meeting of the success of the Pennsylvania process which eschews fingerprints. Yet, he and Rep. Padgett continue to ignore grassroots activists, and thus, are feeling the heat from gun owners who oppose fingerprints, high fees and other anti-gun carry restrictions.