"The American Legion, the nation's largest wartime veterans' service organization, strongly opposes specific provisions of H.R. 2640... that would unilaterally abrogate the rights of certain service-connected disabled veterans to own firearms, a right guaranteed by the Second Amendment." -- Statement by the American Legion, Sep. 27, 2007 |
First, there was Gun Owners of America and a myriad of state gun rights organizations.
Then, the Military Order of the Purple Heart weighed in.
Now, we've heard from the American Legion.
The list of groups in opposition to HR 2640 -- the Veterans Disarmament Act -- continues growing, even while Senators in our nation's capital are continuously being BOMBARDED by thousands upon thousands of phone calls and e-mails from grassroots gun owners like yourself.
In fact, your efforts have IMMENSELY STRENGTHENED the hand of Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK). In an article entitled, "Coburn's block may change strategy for gun bill," a Capitol Hill-based newspaper reported this morning that frustration is building over Coburn's "hold" on the legislation.
"We've tried to negotiate," Schumer said, adding that talks with Coburn are "'not getting that far. We might have to bring it to a vote."
But the newspaper article in The Hill stated that taking a recorded vote on the Veterans Disarmament Act could "complicate its initially strong prospects" of passage. As reported in The Hill:
"The National Rifle Association (NRA) supports the bill, which its board member and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) helped to craft, but the Gun Owners of America (GOA) has backed Coburn and mobilized its grassroots against the measure....
"Coburn also has objected to what he and the GOA -- which dubbed the bill the 'Veterans Disarmament Act' -- believe is the risk of inadvertently placing veterans treated for mental illness into the background-check system, thus endangering their ability to buy a gun.
"The Military Order of the Purple Heart and the American Legion both have backed Coburn's effort.
"But GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt said his group remains opposed to the background-check system in general, viewing it as an infringement on the civil liberties and privacy of gun owners. 'This would be an objection we'd have even after all these [concerns of Coburn's] are taken care of,' Pratt said."
On a side note: The Hill mentioned that, "Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said he has received a high volume of contacts from constituents alarmed about the bill's effect on gun buyers' rights."
Other sources have told GOA that Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) has also gotten hit with a tremendous outpouring of opposition against the bill.
You will remember that both Senators Crapo and Bunning were two of the senators specifically listed in our most recent alert. GOA would like to THANK ALL OF YOU for your activism and support. You guys are doing a great job... keep up the good work!
[Oh, by the way, here's a special note for you folks in Idaho. The remainder of the Crapo quote in The Hill newspaper goes like this: "At this point, I'm not holding the bill," Crapo said. "But that doesn't mean I won't."' Well, that's a great first step, but Crapo needs to join up with Coburn in putting a "hold" on the Veterans Disarmament Act. Keep up the pressure, guys.]
ACTION:
1. The American Legion is already taking heat for its opposition to this bill, as the Veterans Administration is blasting them behind the scenes. We know that a large percentage of you are members of the American Legion. So PLEASE GO TO YOUR LOCAL LEGION HALLS and encourage your fellow legionnaires to get involved (and perhaps even start receiving GOA alerts). The national office needs to see that grassroots legionnaires are behind them so that they will continue to stand firm in the face of the heat they're taking. If you need talking points, see the GOA special section on the Veterans Disarmament Act (HR 2640).
2. Continue to keep contacting your senators via the GOA Legislative Action Center. The Hill newspaper says the Veterans Disarmament Act may come up as early as next week. Coburn is pushing a package of GOA-supported amendments that, taken together, will improve federal law -- making things better than they are now. Senators need to hear that this bill is an abomination, and that it is IMPERATIVE that they support ALL OF THE COBURN AMENDMENTS.
Dear Senator:
Did you know that the American Legion and the Military Order of the Purple Heart both oppose the Veterans Disarmament Act, sponsored by Carolyn McCarthy in the House (HR 2640) and shepherded by Chuck Schumer in the Senate?
Last week, the American Legion stated that it "strongly opposes specific provisions of H.R. 2640... that would unilaterally abrogate the rights of certain service-connected disabled veterans to own firearms, a right guaranteed by the Second Amendment."
Senator Tom Coburn wants to offer a series of amendments to this obnoxious bill. I hope that you will stand with Senator Coburn and defend the constitutionally protected rights of all Americans. And by "stand with," I mean supporting ALL of Coburn's amendments -- not just one or two.
Sincerely,