Congress Back -
Senate Action Likely Next Week
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"...Be sure to contact your U.S. Senators as soon as possible..." |
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With both chambers of Congress now back in full swing, the pro-gun
community needs to continue expressing its concerns to federal
lawmakers, particularly those in the U.S. Senate, about threats to our
Right to Keep and Bear Arms. The Senate will soon take up the
Commerce-Justice-State (CJS) Appropriations Bill, which could be
brought to the floor for consideration as soon as this coming Monday.
While the bill in its current form contains no anti-gun provisions, it
is very likely that anti-gun extremists will attempt to attach anti-gun
amendments during the floor debate. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)
will likely offer an amendment that would seek to give the FBI authority
to use the National Instant Check System (NICS) to
retain the records of
law-abiding gun purchasers for at least 90 days - a policy
the lame-duck
Clinton/Reno Department of Justice (DOJ) had attempted to make permanent
with a last-minute regulation. A similar effort
failed miserably in the
U.S. House in July, when an overwhelming, bi-partisan majority rejected
similar legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.).
Also,
U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) is expected to offer a gun-lock mandate
amendment.
Be sure to contact your U.S. Senators as soon as possible,
and urge them to vote to table any anti-gun amendments that are proposed
for the CJS Appropriations Bill, especially any offered by Schumer or
Kohl. You can reach your U.S. Senators by calling (202) 224-3121, or by
using the "Write Your Reps" tool at
www.NRAILA.org.
In addition,
\today's Washington Times reports that proponents of the
McCain-Feingold/Shays-Meehan campaign finance "reform" effort (S. 27 and
H.R. 2356, respectively) are desperately trying to bolster support for
their cause. Although the House has already considered campaign finance
"reform" this year, and rejected the proposal, backers of the
Shays-Meehan package are trying to force the House to consider the bill
again through the use of a discharge petition. If 218 U.S.
Representatives sign this petition, House Speaker J. Dennis
Hastert
(R-Ill.) would be forced to allow this bill to be brought up for
consideration for the second time this year.
These "reform" bills, you will recall, seek to severely restrict NRA's
ability to provide timely information - including information on
lawmakers' positions on firearm-related issues - to America's law-abiding
gun owners. While you have probably already urged your U.S.
Representative to oppose the McCain-Feingold/Shays-Meehan campaign
finance "reform" efforts, please do so again. Remind your
Representative that the House already considered this proposal in July,
it was rejected, and Congress should move on to issues that are of
greater concern to the American people.
You can contact your U.S.
Representatives at (202) 225-3121, or you can use the "Write Your Reps" tool at
www.NRAILA.org.
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