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			    GENERAL-RKBA Digest 346
Topics covered in this issue include:
 1) FAXALERT: Lawmakers Assail Clinton's "Backdoor" Gun Ban by NRA Alerts
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Topic No. 1
Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 18:50:06 -0500 (EST)
From: NRA Alerts 
To: general-rkba-real.nra
Subject: FAXALERT: Lawmakers Assail Clinton's "Backdoor" Gun Ban
Message-ID: 
                        NRA-ILA FAX ALERT
           11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA  22030
    Phone: 1-800-392-8683 * Fax: 703-267-3918 * GROOTS@NRA.org
Vol. 5, No. 11                                            3/20/98
          LAWMAKERS ASSAIL CLINTON'S "BACKDOOR" GUN BAN
     The Senate Republican Policy Committee, which develops and
coordinates legislative policymaking for the GOP in the Senate
and is chaired by NRA Director Sen. Larry Craig (ID), sharply
criticized the Clinton Administration's "backdoor" plan for a
sweeping new ban on firearms.   At issue:  thousands of
foreign-made firearms -- guns the Committee report accurately
termed "legally importable under President Clinton's 1994
Semi-Auto Gun Ban and the 1968 'sporting purposes' import
standard."   The President's goal: banning guns by circumventing
Congress and using his power to halt imports.  "While every
firearm sold in the United States meets or exceeds the exact
standard set forth in Clinton's Semi-Auto Gun Ban, the
Administration is now attempting to justify further restrictions
-- only now ignoring the role of Congress," the Committee report
explained.   The next salvo in the battle over the Bigger Clinton
Gun Ban will be fired any day now, when the Treasury Department
releases its review of the 1968 "sporting purposes" standard.  
NRA-ILA predicts that the Clinton Administration will misuse this
unconstitutional standard and ban as many imported semiautomatic
firearms as possible -- all guns legal under his own gun ban --
continuing the Clinton tradition of hypocrisy, abuse of power and
elimination of Second Amendment rights by every means possible. 
Call the Senate Republican Policy Committee at 202-224-2946,
compliment them for their document titled "Clinton's New Gun Ban"
dated March 16, 1998, and request a copy so you can mail one to
your elected representatives.  You may also download a copy from
the SRPC's website at "http://www.senate.gov/~rpc/pubindex98.htm".
                 SPEECH BAN ON THE MOVE IN HOUSE
     Campaign Finance "reform" is scheduled for floor action next
week.  NRA-ILA continues to oppose any attempt to impede your
right to free speech and political activity.  We urge you to
contact your Member of Congress by calling 202-225-3121 and ask
for your Representative's office.  Tell your Congressman that you
value your First Amendment right to free speech as much as you do
your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.  Ask him/her
to vote against any proposal, whether procedural or a vote on the
bill itself, that would aid the final passage of this
ill-conceived scheme.  Time is of the essence - next week is the
vote!
                         ASSET FORFEITURE
     As we told you last week, the House will soon consider asset
forefeiture legislation.  HR 1835 provides much needed reforms of
existing laws to ensure that the rights of individuals are
protected from government abuse.  Unfortunately, the Clinton
Justice Department is pushing another bill, HR 1965, that would
give the government far-reaching power to seize the property and
businesses of individuals merely suspected of wrongdoing.  Please
call your Congressman at 202-225-3121, and urge him/her to
support HR 1835, true asset seizure reform legislation, and
OPPOSE the Clinton Administration's power grabbing bill, HR 1965. 
                          STATE & LOCAL
DELAWARE: Monday, March 23, the full House is expected to
consider SB 185.  Not only would SB 185 allow a judge or a
justice of the peace to strip you of your right to own firearms
for petty offenses, but it would allow authorities to search your
home and property without probable cause.  Moreover, if your
personal firearms are seized under this section, the police have
no liability if your guns are damaged or destroyed. Please
contact your State Reps.  Republicans at  (302) 739-4176  Dems.
at (302) 739-4351 and urge them to oppose SB 185.  
FLORIDA: Please contact NRA's Grassroots Division at 1-800-392-
8683 if you did not receive a copy of the Thursday, March 19
special fax alert updating you on the status of CRC-167.  This
week, HB 3323, shooting range protection legislation sponsored by
Rep. Jim Fuller (R-16), passed unanimously out of the House Crime
& Punishment Committee.  It now moves to the House Civil Justice
& Claims Committee for consideration as early as next Wednesday. 
Please call committee members and urge them to support HB 3323. 
GEORGIA: Last night gun owners had two significant victories. 
NRA-ILA, working closely with House and Senate Leadership, helped
to keep SB 407, Sen. David Scott's negligent storage bill, from
being reported out of the House Judiciary Committee, effectively
killing it for the session.  And, HB 1360, sponsored by Rep. Alan
Powell  has been sent to Governor Miller (D) for his signature. 
HB 1360 clarified where permit holders could transport a handgun
in their vehicle, expanding it to anywhere within the vehicle and
it also grants immunity from prosecution to gun owners who defend
themselves against violent intruders in their place of business
and/or vehicles (current law already provides immunity in the
home).  Notes of thanks to Rep. Powell and Sen. Crotts for their
critical help in passing this legislation.  Special thanks to
leadership in both houses for blocking the legislative maneuver
orchestrated by Sen. Scott to have SB 407 attached to HB 1360 as
an amendment.  
KENUTUCKY: Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee reported out
House Bill 318 on a 9-1 vote, your right to carry reform bill. 
It now moves to the full Senate for consideration. Please call
your State Senator at (502) 564-8100 and urge him/her to support
HB 318. 
MASSACHUSETTS:  Thanks to strong opposition by Springfield gun
owners and sportsmen, Mayor Michael Albano's plan to make
Springfield the first community in Massachusetts to pass a gun
lock ordinance was thwarted.  Additionally, the City Council on
Monday, March 16, voted to send a recommendation that the "Eddie
Eagle" gun safety program be used in Springfield school to the
school committee for consideration.  
NEW YORK: Assembly Bill A-1984 is stalled in the Assembly Codes
Committee.  This bill would shift responsibility from the carry
permit applicant to the issuing authority, giving the applicant
the presumption of "proper cause." Essentially, it would be much
more difficult for the issuing authority to deny permits to law-
abiding citizens who meet the criteria set forth by state law. 
Please contact your Assembly member at (518) 455-4100 and urge
them to request that the members of the Codes Committee take a
vote on A-1984.  
SOUTH DAKOTA: This session, the Legislature approved a resolution
(HCR 1016) which proclaims December 15 as "Bill of Rights Day" in
South Dakota.  The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Dana Windhorst 
& Senator Kermit Staggers (both of Sioux Falls), commemorates the
ratification of the Bill of Rights on Dec. 15, 1791, and urges
citizens and schools to reflect on the importance of the first
ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution - including our right to
keep and bear arms.  Governor William Janklow (R) also signed HB
1200, a bill establishing a holiday to observe the ratification
of the Bill of Rights, into law.
=+=+=+=+
This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle
Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA.
This and other information on the Second Amendment and the NRA is
available at: http://WWW.NRA.Org
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End of GENERAL-RKBA Digest 346
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