From firearms-alert-owner Sat Jul 2 14:45:11 1994 Received: from localhost (chan@localhost) by jobe.shell.portal.com (8.6.4/8.6.5) id OAA20361 for firearms-alert-outgoing; Sat, 2 Jul 1994 14:43:09 -0700 Received: from nova.unix.portal.com (nova.unix.portal.com [156.151.1.101]) by jobe.shell.portal.com (8.6.4/8.6.5) with ESMTP id OAA20349 for ; Sat, 2 Jul 1994 14:43:05 -0700 Received: from gatekeeper.nra.org ([192.156.97.62]) by nova.unix.portal.com (8.6.7/8.6.5) with SMTP id WAA24283 for ; Fri, 1 Jul 1994 22:31:44 -0700 Received: by gatekeeper.nra.org (5.65/DEC-Ultrix/4.3) id AA02014; Sat, 2 Jul 1994 01:30:10 -0400 Date: Sat, 2 Jul 1994 01:30:10 -0400 Message-Id: <9407020530.AA02014@gatekeeper.nra.org> Reply-To: alerts@gatekeeper.nra.org Originator: rkba-alert@nra.org From: alerts@gatekeeper.nra.org (NRA Alerts) To: firearms-alert@shell.portal.com Subject: NRA-ILA ROUNDUP X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Comment: NRA Alerts list Sender: firearms-alert-owner@shell.portal.com Precedence: bulk Status: RO NRA-ILA FAX NETWORK NRA Institute for Legislative Action 11250 Waples Mill Road Fairfax, VA 22030 Phone: 800-392-8683/Fax: 703-267-3918 COURT VICTORIES FOR GUN OWNERS! Federal lawsuits filed by county sheriffs challenging the constitutionality of the Brady Act have produced three favorable rulings. Federal judges in Montana, Mississippi and most recently Arizona ruled that the background check provision of the Brady Act was unconstitutional because it commandeers state officials to implement federal law. These three rulings reaffirm what NRA had said all along during the debate over the Brady bill -- the federal government cannot mandate a background check! However, a judge in Texas ruled that the Brady Act's requirement to conduct background checks was constitutional because, as he interpreted the law, the sheriff is not required to perform background checks. Additionally, a trial judge in Connecticut ruled that Connecticut's semi-auto ban passed last year was constitutional. The court ruled that although the citizens of Connecticut have a fundamental right to keep and bear arms, the semi-auto ban was a reasonable exercise of the police power. However, the court held that banning certain semi-autos by "type" was unconstitutionally vague. Our attorneys are reviewing the decision to see if an appeal will be filed. Stay tuned! NOTES FROM THE CAPITOL FEDERAL GUN BAN FIGHT FAR FROM OVER: Please remember that the federal gun ban IS NOT LAW! The differences contained in the House and Senate versions of this legislation are currently being hammered out in a conference committee. The final version of the crime bill which is passed by the conference committee must then receive final approval by both the House and the Senate. THEREFORE IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU CONTACT YOUR TWO U.S. SENATORS AND U.S. REPRESENTATIVE AND URGE THEM TO OPPOSE ANY CRIME BILL WITH GUN BAN LANGUAGE! With Congress in recess until mid-July, now is a good time to schedule an appointment with your lawmakers while they are in their district offices. The optimum time to sit down face-to- face with your legislators is between July 5 and July 8. Further, check with your representatives' offices to see if they will be holding any town meetings in the next couple of weeks and be sure you attend, and spread the word to family, friends and fellow firearms owners in your community. AMMUNITION TAXES: Senate Finance Committee chairman Daniel P. Moynihan (D-N.Y.) included in his health care reform bill a tax on "handgun ammunition," defined as any cartridge case less than 1.3 inches in length. Obviously, this would affect handgun ammunition used in rifles (such as the .44 Magnum), and short- cased carbine ammunition (such as the .30 Carbine). Fortunately, the Senate Finance Committee struck Sen. Moynihan's proposal from the health care bill tonight on a 15-5 vote. In the Democratic caucus of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Mel Reynolds (D-Ill.) also tried to push a tax increase on guns and ammunition, but the proposal was defeated. Passage of Reynolds' proposal in the full committee looks unlikely. DCM FUNDING: The latest effort by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D- N.Y.) to eliminate civilian marksmanship funding was defeated in the House, on a voice vote during floor consideration of Defense appropriations. PUBLIC HOUSING BAN: Housing appropriations amendments were offered in both the House and Senate, allowing public housing residents to force referenda on banning firearms in their housing projects. The amendments were struck in committee in both houses, after initially being accepted in a House subcommittee. STATE LEGISLATURES STAND UP AGAINST GUN CONTROL! PENNSYLVANIA: A bill to strengthen and clarify Pennsylvania's state firearms preemption law (H.B. 185) has passed both Houses of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. As you know, firearms preemption laws ensure that gun control can only be passed at the state level, thereby preventing local governments from passing any gun control ordinances they wish. However, the esteemed Governor of Pennsylvania, Robert Casey, is threatening to veto this bill. All Pennsylvania gun owners and sportsmen are urged to call Governor Casey and encourage him to allow H.B. 185 to become law. The Governor can be reached at 1- 800-932-0784. DELAWARE: In yet another victory for gun owners, the Delaware State House of Representatives, by a vote of 22-16, defeated a one-gun-a-month bill which would have limited the number of handguns law-abiding citizens could purchase.