(Friday, September 5, 1997) — Now that Congress has returned to work this week, it is time again for gun owners to watch their legislators closely and lobby them on several items. To this end, Gun Owners of America has provided postcards for you to take to your gun clubs, gun shows and other meetings. If you call 1-800-417-1486 (at any time, 24 hours a day), you can order sets of postcards dealing with the following bills:

1. H.R. 27 — This postcard set asks your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 27, the bill that will protect citizens who use a gun in self-defense from anti-gun prosecutors and judges, even if the gun was carried without a permit or possessed without a license.

2. H.R. 1009 — Urge your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 1009, introduced by Rep. Helen Chenoweth. Her bill will fully repeal the Lautenberg Domestic Gun Ban passed last year — a ban which disarms millions of citizens for having committed very minor offenses and prevents them from owning guns for life.

3. H.R. 1147 — Rep. Ron Paul’s bill will repeal all the gun control (including the semi-automatic firearms ban) that passed in the 1994 crime bill. This postcard set urges cosponsorship of this important legislation.

4. S. 10 — Ask your Senators to oppose this crime bill which harasses gun owners for committing very technical, non-violent infractions of the federal gun laws. For example, S. 10 imposes draconian sentences for minor mistakes involving the mere possession of certain semi-automatics, the mere driving of a car (with a firearm in the glove compartment) through “gun free zones,” or for a parent’s loaning his target handgun to his minor child without fulfilling the absurd requirement of giving the child a written note of authorization.

5. S. 707 — Make sure your Senators stay away from any gun legislation introduced by Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Ask them to oppose the most recent Lautenberg gun ban (S. 707) which prohibits the carrying of firearms by law-abiding citizens, thus overriding state concealed carry and “open carry” laws.

6. Legislative “Omni-pack” — Can’t make up your mind? Get the special Legislative “Omni-pack” which will give you a sampling of all the postcards above: 10 postcards from each set, 50 postcards in all.

Each set of postcards is $6.00 for the first set of 50, $10.00 for two sets, and $2.50 for each additional set of 50 postcards. This “descending” pricing scale applies whether you are buying many different sets or just purchasing multiple packs of the same set.

Call 1-800-417-1486 or 1-888-886-GUNS and simply choose option “4” to place your order for the postcards. Make sure you specify which of the above set(s) you would like (#1-6) and please mention the bill number(s) as well.

The Citizens Constitution Education Committee of Livingston County is sponsoring a Constitution Day Remembrance on September 14 from 3 PM to 7 PM. Several speakers will address the crowd on the steps of the Livingston County Courthouse at 200 East Grand River Avenue, Downtown Howell. For more information, call Richard A. Samul at 313-878-6015.

The National Home Preparedness Association is sponsoring two Preparedness and Self-Reliance Expos next month, and GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt will speak at both of them.

For information and advance tickets, please call NHPA at 800-844-6782.