(Friday, July 15, 2000) — Gun owners had some “goode” news to celebrate this week, thanks to the Independent Representative from Virginia.

Rep. Virgil Goode successfully pushed an amendment that, if enacted into law, will send a stiff rebuke to the President, as well as gun maker Smith & Wesson. The Goode amendment prevents the Treasury Department from rewarding S&W with fat government contracts in exchange for the sell-out agreement the company signed last March.

No Preferences For Smith & Wesson

By a voice vote, an appropriations subcommittee adopted the Goode amendment on Tuesday. The language of the provision will stop the Treasury Dept. from showing any prefer-ence toward Smith & Wesson when purchasing firearms for their agents — including BATF, Secret Service, etc.

The Goode amendment now moves to the full Appropriations Committee next week, where 2nd Amendment opponents are already leveling their “weapons” across the aisle. Anti-gun Congressmen on the committee may want to strip out the Goode amendment, as well as pass self-defense restrictions of their own — including mandatory trigger locks, draconian gun show limitations, and more.

Shootout Coming Next Week

On a positive note, there may be an effort to tack on Rep. John Hostettler’s language to the Treasury funding bill. This amendment would prevent the BATF from enforcing any part of the Clinton & Wesson agreement. However, Rep. Hostettler is not on the committee. Thus, if the language is not inserted during the full committee markup, he is prepared to offer it as an amendment on the House floor.

ACTION (Option A): If your Congressman is listed below, please urge him to do the following:

ACTION (Option B): If your Congressman is NOT listed below, then urge him to support the Hostettler amendment that will prevent the BATF from implementing the S&W accord. If the Treasury bill leaves the Appropriations committee without this amendment, then Hostettler will offer it when the bill hits the floor, probably in late July.

Contact your Congressman at 202-225-3121 or toll-free at 1-888-449-3511. E-mail and fax info is available at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm in the Legislative Action Center.

Target List for The Representatives On The Appropriations Committee

Aderholt (R-AL)      Mollohan (D-WV)
Bonilla (R-TX)       Murtha (D-PA)
Callahan (R-AL)      Nethercutt (R-WA)
Cramer (D-AL)        Northup (R-KY)
Cunningham (R-CA)    Obey (D-WI)
DeLay (R-TX)         Peterson (R-PA) 
Dickey (R-AR)        Porter (R-IL)
Emerson (R-MO)       Regula (R-OH)
Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) Rogers (R-KY)
Goode (I-VA)         Skeen (R-NM)
Granger (R-TX)       Sununu (R-NH)
Hobson (R-OH)        Taylor (R-NC)
Istook (R-OK)        Tiahrt (R-KS)
Kingston (R-GA)      Walsh (R-NY)
Knollenberg (R-MI)   Wamp (R-TN)
Kolbe (R-AZ)         Wicker (R-MS)
Latham (R-IA)        Wolf (R-VA)
Lewis (R-CA)         Young (R-FL)
Miller (R-FL)

—– Pre-written message for Option A —–

Dear Representative:

I understand that the Appropriations Committee is expected to begin debating the Treasury-Postal funding bill on Tuesday, July 19.

I also understand that there will be some anti-self defense amendments offered — things such as mandatory trigger locks (that encourage good people to lock up their safety), gun show sale restrictions (that will ban private sales unless the buyer first submits to a registration background check), and more. There also may be an attempt to strip out the very worthwhile amendment that was offered in the subcommittee by Rep. Virgil Goode. That amendment will prevent the Treasury Department from showing any preference toward Smith & Wesson, and thus, from rewarding the company for its betrayal of gun owners.

I urge you to oppose any anti-gun amendment that is offered — whether it is one of the above mentioned restrictions (introduced by Democrats) or gun control “lite” (offered by Republicans).

Finally, please support any amendment that would defund the BATF’s ability to enforce the recent Smith & Wesson agreement. This accord does not just affect S&W guns, but rather, it imposes restrictions upon the sales of ALL firearms that are sold by S&W dealers.

As Gun Owners of America will be letting me know how you vote, I hope you that will stand for the Second Amendment. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

—– Pre-written message for Option B —–

Dear Representative:

Before the August recess, you will probably have an opportunity to vote on a very important gun-related provision offered by Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN).

He has committed to offering an amendment to the Treasury-Postal funding bill that will stop the BATF from enforcing the recent Smith & Wesson agreement. I hope that you will support the Hostettler amendment.

The Clinton & Wesson accord regulates and restricts the sales of ALL firearms sold by dealers carrying S&W products — including Glocks, Berettas, Brownings, etc.

Of course, that’s not all. If I try to buy a gun from a S&W dealer, the agreement (in a nutshell) will: require me to take a government-approved safety course to buy ANY firearm; prohibit me from buying more than one handgun OF ANY KIND at a time; and, could conceivably eliminate the possibility of my ever again buying a firearm at a gun show.

If you have not read the Clinton & Wesson agreement, please take the time to do so. This accord is NOT just an agreement between the administration and the gun maker. It covers all kinds of gun manufacturers, dealers and buyers.

As Gun Owners of America will be letting me know how you vote, I hope you that will stand for the Second Amendment. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,