(Wednesday, July 11, 2001) -- Beginning tomorrow, House members will take up legislation aimed at restricting the free speech rights of Americans who attempt to criticize elected officials for their anti-gun (or otherwise unconstitutional) votes.

This anti-gun legislation is aimed at shielding incumbents from watch-dog groups like Gun Owners of America who have the "pesky" habit of illuminating the anti-Second Amendment behavior of congressmen in their own districts.

As we mentioned earlier this week, the Democratic version of the Incumbent Protection Bill (H.R. 2356) adopts the McCain-Feingold approach which passed in the Senate. The House bill contains requirements forcing GOA to report its large donors under certain circumstances, and ultimately will threaten the tax status -- as well as the very existence -- of groups like GOA.

The Republican alternative, H.R. 2360, has been introduced by Rep. Bob Ney (OH). While perhaps well-intentioned as a means of subverting the Democratic bill, the Ney bill will still create another level of bureaucracy and hamper the efforts of groups like GOA to inform you about the voting records of your elected representatives.

In some ways, the Ney version may be worse. One internet publication -- wired.com -- analyzed the bill this way today:

The version that House Republicans will offer as an alternative is far broader in one important way: It regulates "any" paid communication -- Including Internet communication -- that mentions a candidate for federal office. Anyone who makes such a communication, not just political parties or candidates, would be required to keep careful records and count online spending toward a $50,000 limit that would trigger a filing with the federal government.

In other words, most alerts that GOA sends you during a campaign period would require GOA to register with the federal government -- or else face certain penalties. The fact that the "trigger" is $50,000 is hardly reassuring. When one factors the cost of salaries, postage, mailing materials, and research that groups like GOA must expend in communicating with the public, there is no doubt that the $50,000 limit will be easily reached.

So whether we send you an e-mail, fax, newsletter or letter... or whether we appear on radio or TV to discuss a candidate's record on the Second Amendment... GOA will be required to file certain papers with the federal government if our expenses reach the magic number. These are the types of restrictions that anti-gun administrations -- such as the Clinton presidency most recently -- can effectively use to harass pro-gun groups like GOA or NRA. Under the Ney bill, a future anti-gun administration will have a new and far-reaching weapon at its disposal.

ACTION: Call your congressman. Ask him to vote against final passage of the Incumbent Protection Bill, IN WHATEVER FORM. Please use the pre-written letter below to help direct your comments to Capitol Hill. You can call your Representative at 1-877-762-8762 (toll free) or at 202-225-3121. To identify your Representative, as well as to send a message via e-mail, see the Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm on the GOA website.

----- Pre-written message -----

Dear Congressman:

Every version of the anti-gun Incumbent Protection Bill is unconstitutional and unacceptable to me. The Senate bill would ban free speech within 60 days of an election if it mentions a congressman's name on television.

The Shays bill would register groups which engage in this form of communication. The Ney bill, in some respects, is even more far-reaching in registering pro-gun groups exercising their First Amendment rights.

Please vote against final passage of this abomination, IN WHATEVER FORM IT IS REPORTED by the Committee of the Whole.

Sincerely,

_______________________

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Attention Pro-gun Business Owners!