Part B: Action Items

Action Items:
Contact Dole, your Senators and Republican Headquarters
(Part B)

by Gun Owners of America

The fight over the terrorism bill is not over yet. The bill must still go through the House and — if passed by the House — it must go to a conference committee. This means both the House and Senate would have to vote on the bill once again.

Before you read these action items, keep in mind that there is hope. Remember that the crime bill passed the Senate in November of 1993 by a vote of 95-4. Thousands of e-mails and faxes later, Senators had “seen the light” and came within two votes of killing the crime bill (which contained the semi-auto ban) in August of 1994. Believe it or not, the make-up of the Senate is better this year. If they “feel the heat,” they will “see the light” once again.

WHAT TO DO:

* Keep the heat on Sen. Dole and your own Senators. (Remember, they will almost assuredly have to vote on the bill again.) Don’t let Sen. Dole’s office tell you he had nothing to do with shutting our side out of the amendment fight. He brokered the “unanimous consent” agreement, forcing our guys to limp into a purely defensive battle. And unless your senator is one of the eight liberals who voted against the bill (Senators Feingold, Moseley-Braun, Moynihan, Pell, Simon, Wellstone, Hatfield and Packwood), your Senator needs to hear how displeased you are with their votes on S. 735.

[By the way, Dole is very upset with GOA. He claims that we are blaming only him. While this is not true, one should note that Dole — as the chief sponsor of the bill, as the Majority Leader and as the one who engineered the unanimous consent agreement — is the one who deserves the brunt of the blame.

[But he does have a point: other Senators (the followers) deserve some of the blame. After all, had just one Senator objected, Dole could not have entered the “unanimous consent” agreement. Furthermore, they voted with Dole to pass S. 735. Urge your Senators to stop agreeing (hence, to begin objecting) to “unanimous consent” agreements that harm us and prevent our side from offering multiple pro-gun amendments. Also, urge them to stop voting for bills that hurt gun owners and only end up helping President Clinton and his agenda.]

Dole’s numbers are: ph) 202-224-6521, fax) 228-1245. The Senate: ph) 202-224-3121. If you fax Senator Dole, include the quotes listed in Part A of this alert — the quotes from the Congressional Record (with the date and page number cited) — so Dole’s office can see the “unanimous consent” agreement which their boss entered.

* Put the Republican Party on notice! Call Haley Barbour, the Republican Party National Committee Chairman, and protest the fact that Republicans in the Senate pushed through an anti-terrorist bill that is antithetical to your gun rights. Some of you guys — even those of you who are Republican activists — have told us that you will boycott Republicans by withholding your votes and your money. Folks, if you really feel that way, Mr. Barbour needs to hear it. BARBOUR’S NUMBERS: ph) 202-863-8700; fax) 863-8774.

P.S. The anti-terrorism bill which will probably begin moving in the House next week is H.R. 1710, introduced by Rep. Henry Hyde. GOA has not fully analyzed it yet, but we will keep you up to date.

This alert was posted by Gun Owners of America, 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151, (703)321-8585, fax: (8408).