Jury Still Out On Protecting Gun Makers

The Jury is Still Out on Protecting Gun Makers
— Please ask the House leadership to ditch the Senate’s gun control

“The anti-gun provisions in S. 397 would probably be stripped out in the House if all the gun groups were working together with GOA.” — Rep. Ron Paul, Sept. 15, 2005

Thank you, Ron Paul, for your kind words. Sometimes it’s a lonely battle fighting gun control. GOA was the only gun group fighting trigger locks in the Senate, and once again, is the only group fighting these gun restrictions in the House.

The drums in the House are beating for gun control. There are two bills that would take baby steps toward protecting gun makers from the frivolous lawsuits that are plaguing the industry. The House bill (H.R. 800) would help protect gun makers WITHOUT imposing any new gun restrictions. The Senate bill (S. 397) attempts to help gun makers, but does so by “sticking it” to all gun owners as well.

So doesn’t it make sense for pro-gun leaders to push the House bill over the weaker, gun control-ridden Senate version? [You can read about the two gun control provisions that were stuck into S. 397 by going to http://www.gunowners.org/a081105.htm on the GOA website.]

It makes sense to choose the House version, which is free of all gun control. Unfortunately, more than 100 Representatives have signed a letter asking the leadership to bring up the Senate-passed bill.

A number of strategists on Capitol Hill promised that any gun control that was added to S. 397 would be removed in a future conference committee. But now, those same forces are asking the House to bring up the Senate bill (which means there would be no opportunity for a House-Senate conference committee, and no opportunity to strike the offending gun control provisions from the bill).

It’s getting late in the game. You can help by asking Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) to take action. Musgrave is a leader of the Second Amendment Caucus. As such, she is the best person in the House to approach the leadership on behalf of gun owners.

ACTION — Please take the following steps:

1. Contact Rep. Musgrave and urge her to represent the views of gun owners to the House leadership.

IF YOU LIVE IN COLORADO’S 4th DISTRICT, you can use the pre-written message below to contact Rep. Musgrave. Simply visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm and then plug-in your zip code under Elected Officials to send her a message. (Copy-n-paste the following suggestion or type your own.)

FOR ALL OTHER ACTIVISTS, please contact Rep. Musgrave’s office via the following (faxes are especially encouraged):

Capitol Hill:
Toll-Free Phone: 877-762-8762
Direct dial: 202-225-4676
Fax: 202-225-5870

2. Please forward this alert to your pro-gun friends and family. As stated above, GOA is the only national pro-gun group that is fighting against the gun control provisions of S. 397. We need your help to get other gun owners involved!

— Pre-written letter —

Dear Rep. Musgrave:

I am alarmed at the fact that very little is being done to strip the gun control provisions out of the Senate version of the gun liability bill (S. 397). I also understand that there is a move underway in the House to take up the Senate bill, thus solidifying Congress’ support for things such as trigger locks.

I hope that you, as a co-founder of the Second Amendment Caucus, will approach the House leadership on behalf of gun owners and ask them to take up H.R. 800, a companion bill which is free of all gun control.

Thank you so much for your hard work on this issue. I would like to hear back from you regarding what the leadership tells you. Thanks.

Sincerely,