Marcus “Marc” Flagg is a hero to me. I have met a few extraordinary people in my life during my time on Capitol Hill, but Marc stands out. He was a victim on September 11, 2001, yet he was not defeated by the terrorists who attacked the United States. He worked through the political system to solve one of the problems that caused 9/11.

You see, Marc lost both of his parents on 9/11. Retired Navy Rear Adm. Wilson F. “Bud” Flagg and his wife Dee decided to fly that day. They ended up on American Airlines Flight 77 that was flown into the Pentagon. 182 aircraft passengers and Pentagon employees lost their lives in the attack on the Pentagon.

After Marc’s tragedy, he banded together with other commercial airline pilots and worked with them to arm the pilots of commercial aircraft against terrorism. He has worked night and day to improve aviation security and is a true American hero.

Continue reading at RedState.com

Senate would shoot down U.N. treaty abridging U.S. gun rights

More than two centuries ago, our Founding Fathers wisely amended the U.S. Constitution to guarantee a Bill of Rights for its citizens. Rooted in freedom, our democracy has stood strong as Americans have enjoyed liberties unparalleled in the world - including the fundamental right to keep and bear arms. Today, our freedoms and our country’s sovereignty are in danger of being undermined by the United Nations.

In October 2009 at the U.N. General Assembly, the Obama administration voted for the United States to participate in negotiating an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) - a reversal of the previous administration’s position. This treaty purportedly is intended to establish “common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.” However, by threatening to include civilian firearms within its scope, the ATT would restrict the lawful private ownership of firearms in our country.

Last month, the ATT Preparatory Committee met in New York as part of a series of meetings prior to finalizing the treaty next year for adoption. Based on the process to date, I am gravely concerned this treaty will infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of American gun owners and will be used by other countries that do not share our freedoms to wrongly place the burden of controlling international crime and terrorism on law-abiding American citizens.

Proposals being considered by the committee would adversely impact U.S. gun owners. There have been regular calls for bans on the civilian ownership of guns Americans use to hunt, target-shoot and defend themselves. By requiring firearms to be accounted for throughout their life span, the ATT could lead to mandatory nationwide gun registration. Still other proposals could require the marking and tracking of all ammunition.

Forty-four U.S. senators recently joined me in sending a powerful message to the Obama administration: A U.N. Arms Trade Treaty that does not protect ownership of civilian firearms will fail in the Senate. On July 22, we notified President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton of our intent to oppose ratification of a treaty that in any way restricts Second Amendment rights. In fact, our opposition is strong enough to block the treaty from passage, as treaties submitted to the U.S. Senate require two-thirds approval to be ratified. In notifying the Obama administration, we outlined several concerns.

First, civilian firearms and ammunition should not be included in the scope of the ATT. Preparatory meetings have made it clear that many U.N. member states aim to craft an extremely broad treaty. For example, Mexico and several countries in Central and South America have called for the treaty to cover “all types of conventional weapons (regardless of their purpose), including small arms and light weapons, ammunition, components, parts, technology and related materials.” Such a treaty would be incredibly difficult to enforce and would pose dangers to all U.S. businesses and individuals involved in any aspect of the firearms industry, from manufacturers to dealers to consumers.

Second, any regulation of the domestic manufacturing, possession or purchase of firearms and ammunition is completely unacceptable. U.N. member states regularly argue that no treaty controlling the transfer of arms internationally can be effective without controls on transfers inside a country’s own borders. At stake is our country’s autonomy and the rights of American citizens protected under the Constitution.

Finally, America leads the world in export standards to ensure arms are transferred for legitimate purposes, and its citizens should not be punished by the ATT. There is no disagreement that sales and transfers to criminals and terrorists are unacceptable, but law-abiding Americans should not be held responsible for international crime and acts of terrorism. Instead, the responsibility should be on U.N. member states that have not enforced existing laws and have failed to block illegal trafficking of arms.

Our country’s sovereignty and Second Amendment rights must not be infringed upon by an international organization made up of many countries with little respect for gun rights. As the treaty process continues, I will continue to work with my colleagues in the U.S. Senate to ensure that any Arms Trade Treaty that undermines the constitutional rights of American gun owners is dead on arrival because our firearm freedoms are not negotiable.

Sen. Jerry Moran is a Republican from Kansas

Texas Senator John Cornyn added his voice to the escalating criticism on Capitol Hill over the Justice Department's Project Gunrunner and Operation Fast and Furious scandal.According to Congressional investigators and current and former employees of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), thousands of firearms have been allowed to "walk" across the border into Mexico, ending up in the hands of violent drug cartels.

While much of the focus has been on guns originating in Arizona (Fast and Furious being operated out of the BATFE Phoenix office), Sen. Cornyn also wants to know about guns going across the border from Texas.

In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Sen. Cornyn writes, “I believe it is important that you promptly disclose the details of any past or present Texas-based ATF‘gun-walking’ program similar to ‘Operation Fast and Furious.’ My constituents deserve a full accounting of any such activities in Texas.”

Click here for the full text of Sen. Cornyn's letter.

America owes Representative Joe Walsh a debt of gratitude.

In Washington -- a city filled with fools and cowards -- the Illinois Republican has brought courage and rare common sense to the political debate over the debt limit. 

And in the process, he is looking out for Second Amendment rights.

As you know, Barack Obama is spouting non-stop lies in order to avoid curtailing one bit of his statist anti-gun agenda. 

Under Obama, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has put thousands of firearms into the hands of dangerous Mexican drug cartels. 

And when the Project Gunrunner and Operation Fast and Furious scandal came to light, the President’s reaction was not to hold the guilty parties accountable.  Instead, Obama is promulgating regulations to register long-guns in border states, despite federal law prohibiting such action. 

ObamaCare is also moving ahead, despite serious concerns that a medical records database could be used to take away the gun rights of millions of Americans who suffer from common ailments such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

And yet these and other unconstitutional programs will continue to be funded while Barack Obama threatens to default on the U.S. debt, neglect soldiers and withhold social security checks. 

But Congressman Walsh has exposed Obama’s dishonesty and fraud.  Rep. Walsh understands that 60-70% of the government’s income will continue to come in, even if Obama can’t borrow a cent. 

And legislation has already been introduced to require the government to pay interest on the debt, pay America’s soldiers, and send out social security checks, even if Congress fails to increase the $14.29 trillion limit on the U.S. debt. 

Of course, the President shows no interest in signing such legislation.  And you can be sure that Obama has no intention of pulling funds away from registering gun owners or curbing other aspects of his gun control agenda.

Representative Walsh is among the leading voices in Washington exposing the President’s dishonesty.  On a daily basis, Rep. Walsh is battling the talking heads on left-wing media and his political opponents in Congress.

GOA encourages gun owners and sportsmen to send Rep. Walsh a note of thanks for standing up to the President—and at times the leadership of his own party—as he fights to rein in the federal government and protect the Second Amendment.

ACTION:  Please contact Rep. Joe Walsh and thank him for standing up to Barack Obama and other Washington powerbrokers on issues that greatly impact our gun rights.  Even if you live outside of Rep. Wash’s district, please send Rep. Walsh the below message so he knows he has the support of folks throughout the country.

You can send Rep. Walsh an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Below is a pre-written letter you can cut-and-paste.

Dear Representative Walsh,

In Washington -- a city filled with fools and cowards -- you have brought courage and rare common sense to the political debate over the debt limit.

Americans understand that Barack Obama is spouting non-stop lies in order to avoid curtailing one bit of his statist anti-gun agenda. 

Under Obama, the ATF makes illegal efforts to arm Mexican drug cartels and promulgates illegal regulations to register long-guns. 

ObamaCare is also moving ahead, despite serious concerns that a medical records database could be used to take away the gun rights of millions of Americans who suffer from common ailments such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

And yet, Barack Obama is currently threatening to default on the U.S. debt, neglect soldiers and withhold social security checks, rather than curb his unconstitutional agenda. 

Thank you for exposing Obama’s dishonesty and fraud by reminding people that 60-70% of the government’s income will continue to come in, even if Obama can’t borrow a cent.  And this is more than enough to pay our debt, pay our soldiers, and pay our seniors. 

Of course, the President shows no interest in signing legislation prioritizing such payments.  And it is certain that this President has no intention of pulling funds away from registering gun owners or curbing other aspects of his gun control agenda.

In the face of such opposition, please continue to stand up for the Constitution and for my right to keep and bear arms.

Sincerely,

An amendment in the U.S. House to repeal the gun ban on Army Corps of Engineers land, offered by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), passed on July 14 by a voice vote in the House of Representatives.

Under current law, guns are prohibited on Corps land even when gun possession is otherwise allowed by state law.  Rep. Gosar’s legislation would simply remove federal restrictions and allow for state law to govern firearms possession on Corps land.

“The ability to carry a firearm in case of an emergency is imperative,” Rep. Gosar said on the floor of the House. “This amendment … defunds a federal regulation by which the Army Corps of Engineers enforces, creates and authorizes its ban on self-defense firearms.” 
The Gosar amendment is modeled after the Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act (H.R. 1865) introduced by pro-gun Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH).  Gibbs introduced his bill in response to Army Corps of Engineers land not being made part of a 2009 law repealing a gun ban in national parks—something the Corps was quick to point out after that law took affect.
 
The Corps said, in a statement: “Public Law 111-024 does not apply to Corps projects or facilities . . . [and the Army Corps] will continue to prohibit loaded concealed weapons on Corps properties regardless of the new law and notwithstanding any contrary provisions of state law.”
 
The Gibbs’ bill (as well as the Gosar language) will reverse the Corps’ decision and remedy the “oversight” of the lands bill. 

“The Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act is a bipartisan effort that seeks to correct this oversight and restore Second Amendment rights to law-abiding citizens while they are legally camping, hunting, and fishing on the 11.7 million acres of Army Corps recreational property,” Rep. Gibbs said.

Nationally, the Army Corps of Engineers controls 400 lake and river projects, 90,000 campsites and 4,000 miles of trails. 

If accepted by the Senate, the Gosar amendment will be effective for one year, while Gibbs’ bill would make the repeal permanent.  GOA is pushing to move that legislation to the floor for a vote.

GOA was the only national gun rights organization to support Reps. Gibbs and Gosar in the 2010 elections.  We knew they had no intention of coming to Washington to become part of the “establishment,” but would work to restore lost ground in the area of the Second Amendment.

Gun owners are encouraged to send a note of thanks to Rep. Gosar and Rep. Gibbs, even if you do not live in their districts.