03/97 Paul Introduces Semi-Auto Ban Repeal


Rep. Paul Introduces Semi-Auto Ban Repeal!

by Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102
Springfield, VA 22151
(703)321-8585, fax: 321-8408

(Friday, March 21, 1997) — Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) has introduced a bill to repeal the Clinton ban on certain semi-automatic firearms. Rep. Paul introduced H.R. 1147 yesterday, and his office has asked GOA members and activists for their help in getting cosponsors to the bill.

Here’s what the bill would do:

* Repeal the ban on more than 180 types of semi-automatic firearms;

* Repeal the ban on large capacity magazines (that is, clips that hold over 10 rounds of ammunition);

* Repeal the other draconian gun control provisions in the 1994 crime bill, which have helped to drive more than 50% of the gun dealers out of business.(1)

ACTION ITEM: Urge your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 1147, the “Second Amendment Restoration Act of 1997.” Call your Representative at 202-225-3121. Or you can also reach them at 1-800-962-3524 or 1-800-972-3524, but be prepared to let the phone ring a few times. The GOA website contains mailto: links for those Representatives who have e-mail. Always include your postal address when sending e-mail to your member of Congress.

UPDATE on Chenoweth bill (H.R. 1009): You will remember that Rep. Helen Chenoweth (R-ID) has introduced a bill to fully repeal the Lautenberg gun ban which disarms millions of Americans for very slight misdemeanors, even those committed as long as 20 years ago. Her bill has 11 cosponsors — the same 11 that cosigned the bill upon introduction.

Many of you have reported that your Representative claims to be a cosponsor, even though we didn’t list him in our March 12 alert. Be forewarned: your Rep. could be just feeding you a line. (Or, it could just mean that he wants to cosponsor the bill, but just hasn’t gotten around to it. If so, then press him to do it right away.) The list we have given you is from LegiSlate, one of the premier Congressional tracking services. If your Rep. is not listed below, then he is NOT on the bill.

Here are the Reps. who have cosponsored the bill as of 12:00 P.M. on Friday: Tom Coburn (R-OK), Barbara Cubin (R-WY), John Doolittle (R-CA), Jim Gibbons (R-NV), Virgil Goode (D-VA), Wally Herger (R-CA), John Hostettler (R-IN), Ron Lewis (R-KY), Ron Paul (R-TX), Joe Skeen (R-NM), and Don Young (R-AK).

Correction: Our March 12 e-mail alert stated that H.R. 1009 “lays out 17 findings that help advance the pro-gun cause.” In fact, two findings were merged together right before introduction, and thus, the bill officially contains only 16 findings.
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1. The 1994 crime bill states that gun dealers can not operate a business unless “the requirements of State and local law applicable to the business have been met.” This means the BATF now has arbitrary authority to use zoning laws to shut down gun dealers. And in fact, this has greatly contributed to the massive drop in federally licensed firearms (FFL) dealers. FFL’s have now plummeted nearly 57 percent to the lowest level in 22 years — for a total of more than 150,000 dealers who have lost their licenses.