BLM Forced to Withdraw Proposed Rule Due to Your Action!
— But they are trying to salvage what they can

by Gun Owners of America

(Tuesday, March 11, 1997) — Your efforts have once again paid off as Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior, today directed the Bureau of Land Management to halt action on a proposed rule that we alerted you to earlier this year.

The rule would have seriously infringed on your Second Amendment rights while you are on public land. The powers of BLM law enforcement personnel would have been greatly expanded, especially as they relate to the use of firearms by law-abiding citizens.

But while you deserve a resounding “well done”, this issue may be far from dead.

What follows are excerpts from today’s press release by Secretary Babbitt.

—- begin quoted text —-

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt announced today that he has directed the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to halt further actions on a proposal to consolidate law enforcement regulations.

“My decision to stop further action on this proposal is based on the confusion and misinformation about how these regulations would affect BLM’s law enforcement responsibilities under existing law, as demonstrated by the many public comments received,” said Babbitt.

“This action does not diminish the legal authority of BLM law enforcement officers on public land. But it is very clear that we have not done a good job of clarifying regulations and communicating BLM’s legal authority under existing federal statutes to protect health, safety and environmental resources on America’s public lands.

“I’ve been contacted personally by Idaho Governor Phil Batt and several members of Congress, who have expressed the concerns of many,” Babbitt said.

“We hear the users of the public lands and we will do all we can to help them understand the legal authority of BLM under existing federal statutes,” said Sylvia Baca, acting director of the Bureau of Land Management. “BLM will go back to the drawing board, and any future attempt to improve existing regulations and make them more understandable by public lands users will include better public education efforts to explain the BLM law enforcement program.”

—- end quoted text —-

As you see, they are in no way acknowledging that the rule itself was wrong in the first place. Nor do they promise not to expand the scope of BLM’s law enforcement activity– the above statements notwithstanding, the proposed rule would have expanded their authority beyond what they currently wield.

** ACTION ITEMS **