Registration, Condemnation, Confiscation

Gun Registration, Hunting Lands Condemnation, Confiscation And More
— Please use the pre-written letters below

ACTION ITEMS:

1. GIVE YOURSELVES A PAT ON THE BACK

Thousands upon thousands of your emails, faxes and phone calls have poured into Capitol Hill to protest the language in the DoD bill that would allow the government to collect (read: confiscate) and destroy certain privately owned militaria — anything from jeeps and airplanes, to M1 Carbines and 1903 Springfields.

GOA has heard from several sources on Capitol Hill that eliminating the dangers in that provision is a now a high priority, thanks to the grassroots outpouring. GOA will keep you posted on the final status of that language.

2. ASK YOUR LEGISLATORS TO FIGHT FOR THE PRO-GUN HOSTETTLER AMENDMENT

The above-mentioned DoD bill (H.R. 4205) still contains a pro-gun provision included by Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN), but Democrats are working hard to kill it.

They are reportedly lobbying the House and Senate members of the conference committee to drop Hostettler’s provision which would keep the Defense Department from giving any preference to Smith & Wesson as a reward for its sell-out agreement this past March.

Ask your legislators to do everything they can to make sure this provision stays in the bill. (PLEASE SEE THE PRE-WRITTEN MESSAGES BELOW. You can use the Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send the messages to members of Congress.)

Four conference committee leaders are planning to meet on this bill next Tuesday. The “Big Four” are Rep. Floyd Spence (R-SC), Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO), Sen. John Warner (R-VA) and Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI). If any of these four men represent you, make sure you call his office and ask him to keep Hostettler’s “no preferences for Smith & Wesson” amendment. Rep. Skelton and Sen. Levin are reportedly trying to kill the pro-gun amendment.

You can call these four men at 202-225-3121, or toll-free at 800-648-3516 (note the new number).

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES:

1. CONDEMNATION OF HUNTING LANDS AND GUN RANGES BILL

H.R. 701, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, is purportedly all about conservation. But the fine print could really stick it to gun owners. In short, the bill would:

a. Encourage the governmental condemnation of large amounts of private property — particularly property which is being used for firing ranges and other “politically incorrect” purposes; and

b. Ultimately reduce the amount of land available for hunting and sporting purposes by creating large new public tracts eligible for wilderness designation. (The Clinton-Gore administration has shown a devotion towards the preservationist — or “stay out” — philosophy, rather than true conservation in public lands policy.)

H.R. 701 expends $45 billion over fifteen years on a trust fund which will be applied to pork projects, government land acquisition, and other purposes. This will be money which cannot be used for tax cuts, debt reduction, or other salutary purposes — but which will be used to seize property currently in private hands.

Citizens in the Western states which have suffered under government ownership of 80 to 90% of their lands can readily appreciate the ramifications of this fact.

This bill is currently in a House-Senate conference committee. Please ask your legislators to consider whether the recent Clinton administration “land grabs” represent the sort of practice which should be replicated on a large scale. (PLEASE SEE THE PRE-WRITTEN MESSAGES BELOW.)

2. GUN OWNER REGISTRATION

The buzz in the grassroots continues over the firearm owners registration bills that have been introduced. But gun owners should realize that there are scores of bills which have been introduced in the Senate and the House which would impose draconian gun control. Congress can’t get to them all.

Two of the most recent bills to threaten the very existence of the right to keep and bear arms are S. 2525 (national handgun registration) and S. 2099 (treating handguns like machineguns for the purpose of federal law).

S. 2099 Treats Handguns Like Machineguns

In the case of S. 2099, all handgun owners — current and prospective — would be required to apply for a federal handgun license. They would have to submit information about themselves, together with fingerprints and a gun tax payment. Suffice it to say that this is a bill which should be resisted vigorously.

Having said that, it is important to note that, contrary to some reports, S. 2099 cannot become law without being voted on by both the Senate and the House in some form, either separately or as part of a larger bill. Furthermore, action on all gun control is currently being blocked by the successful efforts of GOA’s members to stall consideration of the anti-gun juvenile injustice bill, H.R. 1501.

Keep The Sewer Of Gun Control Clogged By Staying “On Focus”

Again, it is important to remember that Congress can’t get to all the thousands of bills that have been introduced. If the process of enacting gun control can be viewed as a sewer, the juvenile injustice bill (with its trigger locks, young adult training prohibitions, and gun show closings) is a clog which is currently blocking that sewer. Both S. 2525 and S. 2099 are floating somewhere behind that clog.

GOA members should oppose both bills. But, even more importantly, they should fight to keep the juvenile justice clog from being passed and thereby removed as an obstacle to other gun control proposals.

—– Pre-written message —–

Dear Senator:

In May, a very important provision was added to the DoD authorization bill (H.R. 4205). The amendment, offered by Rep. John Hostettler, would keep the Defense Department from giving any preference to Smith & Wesson as a reward for its sell-out agreement this past March.

As the bill is currently in conference right now, I would hope that you will urge members of the conference committee to support the inclusion of this amendment in the final version of the bill. Senators Warner and Levin are the key Senatorial committee leaders who could benefit from hearing from you.

On a separate matter, there is another bill in conference right now — the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 701) — which also poses a tremendous threat to gun owners. H.R. 701 expends $45 billion over fifteen years on a trust fund which will be applied to pork projects, government land acquisition, and other purposes.

I am concerned that this bill will encourage the governmental condemnation of large amounts of private property — particularly property which is being used for firing ranges and other “politically incorrect” purposes. Moreover, there is the added danger that the bill would ultimately reduce the amount of land available for hunting and sporting purposes by creating large new public tracts eligible for wilderness designation.

If you should have to vote on H.R. 701, I would hope that you would keep my Second Amendment interests in mind. I would hate to see private ranges and hunting lands closed down by bureaucratic thugs in Washington. Quite simply, I don’t think that the recent Clinton administration “land grabs” represent the sort of practice which should be replicated on a large scale. Thank you.

Sincerely,

—– Pre-written message —–

Dear Representative:

In May, a very important provision was added to the DoD authorization bill (H.R. 4205). The amendment, offered by Rep. John Hostettler, would keep the Defense Department from giving any preference to Smith & Wesson as a reward for its sell-out agreement this past March.

As the bill is currently in conference right now, I would hope that you will urge members of the conference committee to support the inclusion of this amendment in the final version of the bill. Representatives Spence and Skelton are the key House committee leaders who could benefit from hearing from you.

On a separate matter, there is another bill in conference right now — the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (H.R. 701) — which also poses a tremendous threat to gun owners. H.R. 701 expends $45 billion over fifteen years on a trust fund which will be applied to pork projects, government land acquisition, and other purposes.

I am concerned that this bill will encourage the governmental condemnation of large amounts of private property — particularly property which is being used for firing ranges and other “politically incorrect” purposes. Moreover, there is the added danger that the bill would ultimately reduce the amount of land available for hunting and sporting purposes by creating large new public tracts eligible for wilderness designation.

If you should have to vote on H.R. 701, I would hope that you would keep my Second Amendment interests in mind. I would hate to see private ranges and hunting lands closed down by bureaucratic thugs in Washington. Quite simply, I don’t think that the recent Clinton administration “land grabs” represent the sort of practice which should be replicated on a large scale. Thank you.

Sincerely,