Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 11:37:07 -0400 (EDT) From: NRA Alerts <[a--er--s] at [nra.org]> To: Multiple recipients of list <[r k ba alert] at [mainstream.net]> Subject: FAXALERT: Gavel Comes Down on 104th Congress NRA-ILA FAX ALERT 11250 Waples Mill Road Fairfax, VA 22030 Vol. 3, No. 43 10/4/96 Phone: 1-800-392-8683 Fax: 703-267-3918 [G--OO--S] at [NRA.org] GAVEL COMES DOWN ON 104TH CONGRESS This week, the 104th Congress wrapped up virtually all of its major business and adjourned to allow Members to return to their home for some heavy campaigning. The waning moments of this historic Congress, however, closed with a flurry of activity on legislation that impacts gun owners. Included in a massive, omnibus spending bill to keep the government open were measures dealing with domestic violence, gun free school zones, and the NRA-supported federal law enforcement commission. Although the final language was not perfect, the original language that nearly passed was perfectly awful. It was so broad that an individual could lose gun ownership rights permanently -- with no way to restore those rights -- without having committed ANY violent act whatsoever. The final measure was narrowed considerably to specifically prohibit firearms ownership by those convicted of offenses that actually involve the use, attempted use or threatened use of violence. The measure also ensures due process, and restores Second Amendment rights should the conviction be overturned, set aside or pardoned. As for "gun free school zones," Congress passed language prohibiting the possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, but included numerous lawful exemptions, including residents who live within the 1,000 foot buffer, licensed carry permit holders, the legal transportation of firearms and those legally accessing hunting lands to name just a few. It is unclear at this point whether the new language will pass constitutional muster (you may recall the Gun Free Schools Zone Act of 1990 was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1995.) Finally, the long sought after law enforcement commission to review and make recommendations to end abuses by federal agencies was not funded. The President signed the bill into law on Monday, September 30th. Stay tuned! HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 104th CONGRESS: Thanks to a crop of new pro-gun champions like Representatives Bob Barr (R-Ga.), Helen Chenoweth (R-Idaho), Randy Tate (R-Wash.), Ed Bryant (R-Tenn.), and Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), Congress helped to mend some of the damage Bill Clinton had inflicted on our Second Amendment during his first two years in office, and for the most part crippled the anti-gun agenda of Second Amendment foes like Dianne Feinstein and Charles Schumer. Here's a look at some of the victories your hard work made possible during the 104th Congress: GUN BAN REPEAL PASSED IN HOUSE: On a bi-partisan 239-173 vote, the House of Representatives passed legislation repealing the 1994 Clinton gun and magazine ban. The historic vote marked the first time in more than a decade that Congress had reaffirmed the rights of gun owners and the value of the Second Amendment, and represented a promise kept on the part of dozens of lawmakers who had vowed to support the Second Amendment if elected during the 1994 campaign. CIVILIAN MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM SAVED: DCM survived an anti-gun assault when Congress passed a defense appropriations bill creating a nine-member board and a new non-profit corporation to take over the program. A last ditch effort led by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D- N.J.) to scrap the new corporation was shot down by a 71-29 bi-partisan vote in the Senate, ensuring that the National Matches at Camp Perry would continue and that surplus government firearms would continue to be sold to qualified shooters rather than being destroyed. SPORTSMENS' ACCESS TO REFUGES GUARANTEED: Congress passed legislation elevating wildlife-dependent recreation, such as hunting and fishing, to a primary purpose of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The legislation ensures that hunters will be treated as a primary, not a secondary or subsidiary component of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and will be able to enjoy the benefits derived from the investments they make through their tax dollars, Federal Duck Stamp purchases, and entrance fees. CLINTON GUN-CRUNCHING MACHINE HALTED: Countless perfectly serviceable firearms, including many M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, Model 1911 Pistols, and .22 caliber training rifles were spared when Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) led the fight to pass a Department of Defense appropriations bill imposing a moratorium on the Clinton Administration's gun crunching machines. ANTI-GUN GOVERNMENT RESEARCH DEFUNDED: Congress voted to redirect $2.6 million of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's budget from firearms 'research' to traumatic brain injury research, and specifically barred NCIPC from using any of its funds 'to advocate or promote gun control.' FREE SPEECH FOR GUN OWNERS PROTECTED: Congress rejected 'campaign finance reform' legislation that would have prohibited NRA from providing our members with information about the positions of candidates on Second Amendment issues and ban many of NRA's election efforts on behalf of pro-gun candidates. The bill would have prohibited NRA from distributing our Political Preference Charts and outlawed any effort by NRA to advertise on behalf of pro-gun candidates. RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENSE ASSURED FOR PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS: An amendment to a public housing bill that would have outlawed self- defense in public housing units was rejected in the House. The discriminatory amendment, offered by current U.S. Senate candidate Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), would have criminalized any public housing resident who used a firearm in self-defense, and was voted down by a veto-proof margin. ON THE AGENDA FOR THE 105th CONGRESS: Next year, we'll continue our efforts to repeal the Clinton gun ban, push for national right to carry reciprocity, secure funding for a federal law enforcement review commission, and bring attention to U.S. funding for the United Nations' efforts at international 'gun control.' And with the Brady Act's waiting period set to sunset in 1998, we can expect debate on the subject of waiting periods and instant background checks during the next session. Needless to say, these are only a few of the items on our agenda for the 105th Congress. We can make our job much easier by electing a pro-gun majority to Congress this year -- so if you have not already done so, please get involved with the campaign efforts of pro-gun candidates in your area! For more information on what you can do today, please call NRA-PVF at 1-800-868-3672. =+=+=+=+ This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA. This and other information on the Second Amendment and the NRA is available at: http://WWW.NRA.Org