*********** NOTICE: THIS IS A FORWARDED MESSAGE *********** 
============================================================================
			    GENERAL-RKBA Digest 336
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) FAXALERT: Trials and Tribulations for Tucson Rod & Gun Club by NRA Alerts 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Topic No. 1
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 1998 10:23:05 -0500 (EST)
From: NRA Alerts 
To: general-rkba-real.nra
Subject: FAXALERT: Trials and Tribulations for Tucson Rod & Gun Club
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. 6                                         2/13/98
        TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS FOR TUCSON ROD & GUN CLUB
     For more than two years, the Tucson Rod & Gun Club (TRGC) in
Tucson, Arizona has been locked in battle with the U.S. Forest
Service (USFS) over their shooting range, which sits in the
Coronado National Forest.  Members of the U.S. House Subcommittee
on Forests & Forest Health heard firsthand this week the story of
the club's struggle --a story which would be unbelievable if not
for the Clinton Administration's abysmal record on other issues
affecting the shooting community.  It all began back in 1995,
when the club became aware of the USFS' concerns about the safety
of their range.  Despite their impeccable 45-year record of safe
operation, club members were more than willing to sit down with
government officials in what they thought was a good faith
negotiation to keep the facility open.  Big mistake.  While the
club was busy trying to cooperate in every way with the
government's demands, the government was busy looking for new
excuses to shut them down.  Eventually, the government finally
got what it was looking for, a report done by an expert on range
safety which was highly critical of the range and recommended its
closure. Just one problem, though: this so-called expert, who
charged American tax-payers $25,000 for his work, was nothing but
a high school dropout who had never even set foot in an
institution of higher learning.  By the time the phony "expert"
was unmasked, it was too late.  The range had already been
closed.  Disgusted by the total lack of honesty and integrity
exhibited by government officials, club members turned to the
courts and NRA-ILA, which is now financing the legal battle to
re-open the range.  Several hours of hearings on the matter left
many lawmakers in disbelief.  Rep. Don Young (R-Ak.), Chairman of
the House Resources Committee, criticized the Forest Service for
its "pre-determined plan to close the gun club," while
subcommittee Chair Rep. Helen Chenoweth (R-Id.)  scolded the USFS
and the Clinton Administration for "spend[ing] its time and the
taxpayers' money to prevent solutions..."  For its part,
apparently unfazed by the whole debacle, the USFS indicated that
lawful shooting activities on all its lands are now in jeopardy. 
Please contact your Congressman and express your support for
shooting on USFS lands and encourage him or her to support Rep.
Young's effort to re-open the TRGC.
      AMERICA TO BE "SATCHER-ATED" WITH MORE GUN CONTROL?  
     Despite efforts in the U.S. Senate to defeat his nomination,
Dr. David Satcher was confirmed as Surgeon General by a 63-35
vote. Gun owners will remember Satcher's tenure as head of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  While he was
at the helm of CDC, the National Center for Injury Prevention and
Control, a division within the CDC, funded numerous unscientific,
anti-gun "studies."  With Dr. Satcher serving as Surgeon General, 
NRA members and gun owners across the nation have reason to be
concerned.  We hope that in his new position, he'll refrain from
pushing an anti-gun agenda.
          PRO-GUN ADDITIONS TO HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
 
     The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee will
see the addition of two more supporters of the Second Amendment,
which will help to insure that gun control bills are derailed
before they ever get to the House floor.  Representatives Lindsey
Graham (R-S.C.) and James Rogan (R-Cal.) will be welcome
additions to the committee, with Graham being added as a new 
seat, and Rogan coming on to replace Representative Sonny Bono
(R-Cal.), who tragically died earlier this year in a skiing
accident.
              CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM STILL PENDING
     The attack on the First Amendment, disguised as Campaign
Finance Reform, is still alive, as the U.S. Senate has scheduled
debate on S. 25 for Feb. 23.  Please continue calling your
Senators and urging them to defeat this attempt to silence the
voice of your NRA.  The number for the U.S. Senate switchboard is
202/224-3121.  And in light of S. 25, U.S. Senator Mitch
McConnell (R-Ky.) was presented with the Harlon B. Carter Award
at this past weekend's NRA Board Meeting.  NRA Executive Vice
President Wayne LaPierre and NRA-ILA Executive Director Tanya K.
Metaksa made the presentation in thanks of Sen. McConnell's
opposition to this legislative effort that could prevent NRA from
communicating with its members about the views on gun control of
candidates seeking elected office.
-=Continued in next post=-
...          ******** NOTE: THIS IS A FORWARDED MESSAGE ********
--- FMail 1.22
---------------