01/95 Pressure Republicans For Repeal

Your Phone Calls are Desperately Needed!
— Republican leadership still giving us the shaft

by Gun Owners of America

(January 27, 1995) — We know it must have been hard to believe. Some of you called and asked if we were really serious. “Is the Republican leadership so dumb as to ignore the ones who helped give them control of the Congress?”

Well, Wednesday’s alert gave you the scoop two days early. Listen to what the Associated Press is now reporting: “The [Republican] leaders’ negotiators spent much of Wednesday in strategy sessions trying to figure out how to block attempts to use a new crime bill as a vehicle to repeal the gun ban. . . . [They] discussed breaking the crime package into seven or eight separate bills so as to throw a procedural roadblock in the way of any [gun ban repeal] amendments.”

They’re now talking about putting off any action on the gun ban repeal until May! Can you believe this? We took them to the dance and now they’re telling us to stand in the corner. Folks, this is outrageous!

Last summer, you guys inundated Congress with calls to such an extent that offices were calling GOA asking us to “call off the dogs.” We’re sorry to report that in the past two days we’ve yet to receive any of those types of calls.

It’s very important to CALL the leadership for two reasons: First, staffers have told us that a barrage of calls into an office can have a tremendous impact. It frustrates and exasperates the receptionists and the staffers. And when the legislators see the exasperation in their workers, it really delivers the message. They get the picture that lots of people are calling! Second, a call can emphasize the point you’re trying to make. If they quickly glance at your letter/fax, they may think you’re just writing about support for a gun ban repeal. But on the phone, you can point out that you want the gun ban repeal to be offered as an amendment to the crime bill. You can emphasize that they need to pursue the best avenue possible to enact a repeal of the gun ban.

HERE’S WHAT TO DO:

* If you have not called yet, please call two of the three top Republican leaders today. (Hard-core activists please feel free to call all three.) If you have already called, please call the leadership offices of two of the top three Republican leaders. (Again, hard-core activists can call all three.)

* Here are the top three guys: House Speaker Newt Gingrich (reg. office: 202-225-4501, leadership office: 5-0600, fax: 5-4656), Majority Leader Dick Armey (reg. ofc: 5-7772, lead. ofc: 5-4000, fax: 5-7614), and Majority Whip Tom DeLay (reg. ofc: 5-5951, lead. ofc: 5-0197, fax: 5-5241). Plus, don’t neglect Crime Subcom. Chairman Bill McCollum (5-2176, fax: 5-0999). All numbers begin with 202-225. Don’t forget to distribute this alert!

Note #1: The Bartlett/Chapman/Stockman bill is still on the verge of being introduced. The authors are now biding their time, waiting to see what the leadership will do. They will then determine the best course of action. Stay tuned.

Note #2: If your not a member of Gun Owners of America, you’re missing our insider newsletter report, plus regular legislative alerts that you may not get by fax. Join now and you’ll be sure to receive an upcoming newsletter reporting on what Rep. “B-1” Bob Dornan had to say that rocked the House of Representatives. Last week, Dornan answered the President’s attacks on the Second Amendment, and his comments were considered so “treasonous” — even though they were right on the money — that the House of Representatives got some of Dornan’s comments expunged from the Record.

Send $20 for a year’s membership to GOA, 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151, and you’ll start receiving our newsletter and legislative reports. And ask for the October 3, 1994 issue of The Gun Owners newsletter and you’ll get the full report which documented how you guys (on our fax alert; and recipients of our e-mails) helped barrage Congress last year, win the vote on August 11 and come within a whisker of victory days later. It will encourage anyone who thinks that phone calls and faxes don’t make a difference!

Note #3: One of our fax alert activists has suggested the following sample letter:

I am contacting you in regards to the Bartlett/Stockman bill. I request the crime bill remain as one bill. If the bill is separated, we will never be able to pass the semi-auto firearms ban repeal.

I request that you do everything in you power to attach the ban repeal to the crime bill. We cannot assume Clinton will veto a crime bill that has the gun ban repeal included. Even though he has threatened to do so, when was the last time you heard him make a promise and stick to it? After all, it could be quite difficult for Mr. Clinton to veto a crime bill with his election around the corner.

Furthermore, remember that gun owners like myself helped put the Republicans in the majority last November 8th, and I anticipate your full support. We, as Second Amendment Rights supporters, cannot afford to compromise! Please contact me and inform me of your plans in handling this matter.