Date: Sat, 3 Jun 1995 12:11:02 -0400 From: alerts@gatekeeper.nra.org (NRA Alerts) To: firearms-alert@shell.portal.com Subject: FAXNET: House to Hold Hearings on Federal Law Enforcement Abuses (95-06-02) NRA-ILA FAX NETWORK NRA Institute for Legislative Action 11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA 22030 Vol. 2, No. 24 6/2/95 Phone: 1-800-392-8683 * Fax: 703-267-3918 HOUSE TO HOLD HEARINGS ON FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ABUSES The U.S. House of Representatives' joint subcommittee of the Judiciary and Government Reform and Oversight committees is conducting investigations into the government tactics that led to civilian and law enforcement officer deaths at Waco and Ruby Ridge. Reps. Bill McCollum (R-Fla.) and Bill Zeliff (R-N.H.), chair the joint subcommittee, and have tentatively scheduled hearings for mid-July. According to Rep. McCollum, the hearings will be "an exhaustive examination of the Waco tragedy so that at the conclusion of the hearings, the American public will feel they have all the answers." Echoing Mr. McCollum's sentiments, Rep. Zeliff noted, "we will come to these hearings with an open mind, yet we intend to be tough, credible and fair." The House hearings are scheduled to last several days, while Senate hearings are also being planned, but no dates have been set yet. We'll keep you posted as to any hearing date changes or other new developments! A LOOK AT THE STATES: California: The Senate passed SB 28, which calls for a March 1996 ballot question on allowing the Department of Fish & Game to manage the mountain lion population so that residents who live in mountain lion territory are protected. Sport hunting would be one of the many management options considered by the Department. The bill now moves to the Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee for consideration. Members: please contact your State Assemblymembers and urge them to support SB 28. Louisiana: The House Administration on Criminal Justice Committee approved SB 886, NRA-backed right to carry reform legislation. This bill now moves to the House floor for consideration. Members: please call your State Representatives and urge them to support SB 886 and write Governor Edwards and encourage him to sign the bill if it reaches his desk. Maine: The Sportsmen's Rally scheduled for July 1 in Augusta has been cancelled. Please alert family, friends and fellow gun owners. We'll keep you posted as to whether another rally will be scheduled. North Carolina: The Senate Judiciary Committee will soon consider HB 90, the NRA-supported right to carry bill, and HB 879, NRA- backed state firearms preemption legislation. Members: please contact your State Senators and urge them to support HB 90 & HB 879. Oregon: Victories for gun owners and sportsmen! HB 2784, NRA- supported legislation to clarify and strengthen the state firearms preemptions statute, and HB 3112, an NRA-backed shooting range protection bill, have both passed the legislature and been sent to Governor Kitzhaber for his signature. SB 1096, NRA-supported instant check legislation which eliminates the 15-day waiting period on handgun purchases, is currently before the Joint Ways & Means Committee. If the Committee approves the bill, it could come up for a Senate floor vote next week. Members: please contact your State Senators over the weekend in Salem and urge them to support SB 1096. Rhode Island: This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard proponent-only testimony on 95-H 6059A, the Omnibus Firearms Violence Prevention Act sponsored by Rep. Teitz. Among the worst anti-gun proposals included in the bill are provisions allowing the State Police unlimited access to firearms purchase records, a requirement that police investigate any individual purchasing more than one firearm in a 30-day period and requirement that anyone who sells more than 3 firearms a year obtain a local $200 dealer's license. Hearings for opponent-only testimony have not yet been scheduled. Members: please contact your State Senators and urge them to oppose 95-H 6059A. DE-FOLEY-ATED: In recent weeks, former Speaker of the House Thomas Foley (D-Wash.) suggested that he may follow the lead of his former political nemesis, George Bush, and resign his membership in NRA. At one time Mr. Foley was an opponent of gun control, but in 1994, he flip-flopped and supported President Clinton's gun ban. It was after that vote that NRA members and gun owners worked to end Mr. Foley's congressional career, when they replaced him with pro-gun Representative George Nethercutt. Due to his vote in favor of the Clinton gun ban, the ex-Speaker demonstrated that he no longer spoke for gun owners! GRASSROOTS GEARING UP IN VIRGINIA. Starting Saturday, June 10th, NRA-ILA will host four special grassroots/election seminars in an effort to enhance our activities for the upcoming November elections. The seminars will be held in Virginia Beach, Fairfax, Richmond and Roanoke. To register for one of these free seminars, or for additional information, please call Lee Maceira in the NRA- ILA Grassroots Division at 1-800-392-8683. Special Note: similar seminars will be held throughout the summer in those states with elections in 1995, and will continue throughout the nation through the 1996 elections as well. Stay tuned! =END= =+=+= This information is presented as a service to the Internet community by the NRA/ILA. Some useful URLs: http://WWW.NRA.Org, gopher://GOPHER.NRA.Org, wais://WAIS.NRA.Org, ftp://FTP.NRA.Org, mailto:LISTPROC@NRA.Org (Send the word help as the body of a message) Information can also be obtained by connecting directly to the NRA-ILA GUN-TALK BBS at (703) 934-2121. NRA.org is maintained by Mainstream.com mailto:info@mainstream.com