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02/95 Repeal Update Part 1

Written by admin Published: 03 February 1995

IT’S TIME TO PRESS ON!
Tell your Rep. that now is the time to pass the ban repeal
(Part I)

by Gun Owners of America

(February 2, 1995) — By now you’ve probably heard about the deal that was struck last week. The Republican leadership decided that now is not the time to pass our Second Amendment agenda. So they’ve broken up the crime bill into 7 or 8 separate bills, thus making an amendment to repeal the gun ban a “non-germane” amendment, if offered as an amendment to any one of these separate “crime bills.” In doing this, the leadership has set back our efforts to attach a gun ban repeal to a very popular crime bill, and have instead stated we will get hearings on the gun issue beginning in March. (Some pro-gun leaders think a vote could possibly occur in May.)

Well, not all gun owners agree that we should just wait for the hearings. In fact, many of you have called us and told us that while hearings are fine, we need to continue pressing on the offensive; to fight the battle on several fronts. After all, they’ve ONLY promised us hearings to begin in March. When will the vote come in the House? When will the vote come in the Senate? Will it ever get to the President’s desk? Many people have asked, “is there anything we can do?”

Yes, there is. During the past week, Gun Owners of America has been looking for legislators on Capitol Hill who would support an effort to attach the repeal of the gun ban to the crime bill– even if it means using some complicated parliamentary maneuvers. We are pleased to report that we have found some people in Congress that are willing to fight this battle. And Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX) is going to lead the fight!

But Rep. Stockman has asked GOA for YOUR help! He needs you to blitz Congress by fax and by phone. He needs you to put the heat on your Representatives. He needs you to get your friends and family members to call and fax. In short, he needs you to deluge the Congress with calls, and to let them know that you’re mad about having to wait.

We will lose momentum if we delay; now is our best shot. Delaying a vote on the ban repeal will only give Charles Schumer & Co. time to plan their counter attack. Right now it’s the anti-gunners that are reeling. Clinton has recently stated at least THREE different times that the gun issue helped defeat several anti-gun Democrats and give Republicans control of the Congress. Campaigns & Elections magazine (Dec./Jan. 1995) stated that gun control helped defeat over 60 Democrats last Nov. 8.

Our best chance of getting the repeal enacted is to put it in the crime bill and to give the President a tough choice: either sign the bill (with the gun ban repeal in it) or face the political fallout for vetoing a popular crime bill.

HERE’S WHAT YOU MUST DO:

* Call your Representatives (202-225-3121) and urge them to support an amendment to one of the separate crime bills that would repeal the gun ban. Tell them that you do not support a delay. Tell them that we should try to attach the ban repeal to the crime bill when the anti-gunners are retreating. (In fact, President Clinton has gone so far as to say that gun control was the ONE issue that cost him several Democratic Congressmen and thus, the control of Congress.)

1. Your Congressman may tell you that an amendment to repeal the gun ban would not be “germane” if offered to one of the crime bills. (In fact, the Republican leadership will use such an argument to try and sink any repeal amendment that is offered.) But tell them that Gun Owners of America is working with legislators who have committed to fight that ruling. Congress can vote to override a “non-germane” ruling. So ask them, “Will you support Rep. Steve Stockman in the effort to attach the gun ban repeal to the crime bill? Will you vote against any ruling that would label the repeal amendment as non-germane? Or, against any ruling that would otherwise block Rep. Stockman’s amendment from being offered?”

2. Your Congressman may also want to tell you that we will be getting a vote on repealing the gun ban in 90 days. Answer: First, nothing is ever for certain — we can’t be sure of that, nor can we be sure we’ll even get a vote in the Senate. Second, this method would try to get a stand-alone gun bill through the Senate and past the President. It will never work. We want the repeal provision to be attached to one of the crime bills that is moving through the House right now!

* When you get an answer from your Congressman, please fax it to us — “yes,” “no,” “undecided” or whatever they say. This will help us get a vote count and let us know who needs more pressure from the grassroots.

This alert was posted by Gun Owners of America, 8001 Forbes Pl., Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151, (703)321-8585, fax:(703)321-8408.