Seven Senators Have Now Withdrawn

House to Soon Consider Anti-Free Speech Provisions
— More good news on cosponsorships

ACTION ITEMS:

1. Ask your Representative to oppose any “Incumbent Protection” provision that would squelch your right of free speech — or the freedom of speech of any group, like GOA, that you support.

2. Urge pro-gun Representatives to cosponsor HR 2721, the Brady Registration Law repeal.

3. Call Western Union (1-800-651-1486) to urge presidential candidate Sen. John Ashcroft (R-MO) to dump the Hatch Horror Bill (S. 10).

“Incumbent Protection” provisions will squelch your First Amendment rights

The House could take up another so-called Campaign Finance Reform bill as early as next week. The good news is that H.R. 2183 (introduced by Rep. Asa Hutchinson) is relatively mild in comparison to other bills dealing with campaign finance reform. The bad news? There will be, possibly, dozens of amendments offered to the Hutchinson bill, and, we can expect that many of these would crush the freedom of speech if passed – all in the name of reforming elections.

Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT) will undoubtedly introduce his horrific bill (H.R. 3526) as an amendment. This bill would eventually put GOA and other grassroots organizations out of business, simply for reporting to you the positions of candidates in election races. As stated by columnist Robert Levy in The Washington Times: “By any rational standard, the [Shays] bill is an appalling assault on political expression and makes a mockery of the First Amendment.”

Three more Congressmen commit to repealing the Brady Registration Law

Last week, three Representatives jumped aboard Rep. Paul’s bill repealing the Brady Registration Law (H.R. 2721). Representatives Tom Coburn (R-OK), John Ensign (R-NV) and Joe Skeen (R-NM) all took a stand for freedom by saying “yes” to the Paul repeal. Rep. Ralph Hall (D-TX) is the other cosponsor on the bill.

What this means is there are still many pro-gun Representatives that should be on the bill, but are not. Gun owners should continue to press these Congressmen to cosponsor H.R. 2721 (202-225-3121). Fax numbers and e-mail addresses for individual Reps. are available on the GOA website.

Another Senator dumps Hatch’s Horror Bill!

Cosponsors rarely drop their name from a bill – doing so is an act of humility (rarely seen in a politician) and indicates that the cosponsor might have made a mistake.

Well, you guys have defied the oddsmakers seven times in a row! Last week, Senator Rod Grams (R-MN) became the seventh senator to jump off Sen. Orrin Hatch’s Horror Bill (S. 10). Good work!

Also, if you have not done so already, you can still send a Western Union mailgram (1-800-651-1486). This mailgram will go to presidential candidate, Sen. John Ashcroft (R-MO), and asks him to pull his name from S. 10. Mailgrams opposing S. 10 will also go to each of your senators.

Sen. Ashcroft has publicly thanked Gun Owners of America for bringing the problems in S. 10 to his attention. And while he has notified Sen. Hatch of his problems with the bill, he has not yet removed his name as a cosponsor. The mailgram asks him to go ahead and take the next step of jumping off this very anti-gun bill. (Your phone bill will be charged for $8.95.)