(Wednesday, February 13, 2002) — Late tonight, the U.S. House of Representatives will consider the anti-gun Incumbent Protection Bill (H.R. 2356).

Shays-Meehan (so-called Campaign Finance Reform) is particularly a dagger at the heart of pro-gun groups. Groups like GOA would be prohibited from engaging in many forms of communication to the public which mention the names of incumbent legislators within 60 days of an election.

This would give anti-gunners a decisive advantage. For instance, if anti-gun groups were prohibited from broadcasting ads depicting pro-gun candidates, they would have little trouble getting the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Enquirer, L.A. Times, etc., (all of which are exempt from the legislation) to run the ads as Editorials.

Pro-gun groups rarely receive any positive attention from the major media outlets. Thus, GOA members and supporters often rely on our advocacy to inform them of how their Representatives in Washington are voting — and to alert them when important votes are pending, no matter how close to an election such votes may occur.

To protect the right of groups like GOA to communicate to the public, an amendment to Shays-Meehan has been offered by pro-gun Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS), which would:

In addition to protecting the rights of groups like GOA to communicate with the public, the Pickering amendment draws a line in the sand in reaffirming that the Second Amendment is an INDIVIDUAL RIGHT. The Pickering amendment would also:

As you know, there are many politicians who pretend to support the Second Amendment in order to secure your votes, but sabotage gun rights once they are elected.

Today’s vote on the Gun Owners Protection amendment will distinguish our friends from our enemies. NO POLITICIAN WHO VOTES TO LIMIT THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE NATIONAL GUARD — BY OPPOSING THIS AMENDMENT — SHOULD EXPECT ANYONE TO BELIEVE THAT HE IS ANYTHING BUT ANTI-GUN.