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			    GENERAL-RKBA Digest 335
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) FAXALERT: Keep Using Your Voice to Defend Your Right to Free Speech by NRA 
Alerts
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Topic No. 1
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 17:28:11 -0500 (EST)
From: NRA Alerts 
To: general-rkba-real.nra
Subject: FAXALERT: Keep Using Your Voice to Defend Your Right to Free Speech
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. 5                                              2/6/98
    KEEP USING YOUR VOICE TO DEFEND YOUR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH
     S. 25, the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Bill we
reported on last week, is still pending action in the U.S.
Senate, and recent developments suggest a vote may come as early
as next week.  You can rest assured that the backers of this bill
are looking to make whatever deals they can to save this attempt
to silence the voice of your NRA, so we must remain active.  Keep
the pressure on your U.S. Senators by calling them at 202/224-
3121, and urge them to vote in favor of the First Amendment by
voting against this outrageous attack on free speech.
                     SURGEON GENERAL SATCHER?
     There has also yet to be a vote on Dr. David Satcher's
nomination as Surgeon General.  Dr. Satcher, you may recall, was
the head of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
while it funded numerous unscientific, anti-gun studies.  Many
organizations have expressed concern over this pending issue, and
Senate opposition is being led by Sen. John Ashcroft (R-Mo.). 
Sen. Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) has asked for a vote to
shut off debate on Dr. Satcher's nomination next week.  Known as
"cloture," this procedure to shut off debate and move to a floor
vote would require 60 votes.  Dr. Satcher's potential nomination
as Surgeon General is cause for concern among gun owners.  Please
call your Senator at 202/224-3121 and urge him or her to vote
AGAINST cloture and AGAINST Dr. Satcher.
                        WELCOME TO NAGANO
     The 1998 Winter Olympic Games got under way today in Nagano,
Japan, and while many will celebrate, there are some whose joy
and excitement has been a bit tainted by some gun-related
stipulations.  Competitors in the biathlon, a grueling, solitary
sport that combines cross-country skiing and target shooting, are
not being allowed to keep their rifles with them, but must store
them, as well as their ammunition, at a holding area. According
to the Feb. 4 edition of the Washington Post, in order to obtain
their firearms for practice, they must undergo a retinal scan to
verify their identity.  According to a CBS SportsLine wire report
on Feb. 3, even their ammunition had to be completely documented,
and the team must "count the shells it takes down to the last
one, and shoot them all" when they practice.  U.S. biathlete
Stacey Wooley commented, "What you miss here is the Zen with your
rifle... it's a part of your equipment.  You (normally) bring it
around with you, you pull the trigger 100 times a day.  It's only
going to make you feel more comfortable." Also according to CBS ,
"...each and every one of them (U.S. biathlon team members) is a
bona fide believer in the Second Amendment."  When asked if they
would like to see Japanese-style gun laws in the U.S., they
responded with a resounding, "No way."  A heartfelt "Way to go,"
is expressed to our U.S. Olympic biathlon athletes, and we wish
all competitors good luck!
=+=+=+=+
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 335
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