From: NRA Alerts 
To: Multiple recipients of list 
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 1996 17:20:01 -0400
Subject: INFO: Democrats Kick Off Campaign With A Kick In The Pants for Gun 
Own
ers
 
August 29, 1996
 
                   DEMOCRATS KICK OFF CAMPAIGN
             WITH A KICK IN THE PANTS FOR GUN OWNERS
 
In a concerted partisan assault on Second Amendment supporters,
unparalleled in U.S. politics, President Clinton and the national
Democratic party leadership chose gun control as the number one
issue of the opening day of their convention.
 
The day-long barrage began with a speech by Bill Clinton on a
whistle-stop tour of the Midwest, in which he called for several
measures of little value -- except as evening campaign news
soundbites.  
 
Specifically, Clinton misleadingly called for "extending the
Brady bill" to make individuals with domestic violence
misdemeanor convictions a "prohibited class" of persons barred
from gun ownership.  Of course, "prohibited persons" are not
defined by the Brady bill, but by the currently less well-
publicized Gun Control Act of 1968. 
 
Clinton also called for the passage of Rep. Charles Schumer's
ammo ban that in reality could classify virtually any rifle
ammunition as "armor-piercing," even though his own aides told
the New York Times later in the day that "no companies currently
manufactured such bullets."  Clinton also called for a
congressional rewrite of the Gun-Free School Zones Act, which was
struck down by the Supreme Court last year on the grounds that
mere possession of firearms didn't pose a federal issue.
 
The attack continued with Handgun Control, Inc. leader Sarah
Brady's prime-time speech to the Democratic National Convention,
in which she congratulated Bill Clinton for his success in
imposing waiting periods on law-abiding gun buyers.  During her
speech, convention delegates waved signs that read, "Clinton/Gore
'96/The Brady Bill" and "Clinton/Gore  96/Assault Weapons Ban;"
as she finished they chanted "Brady Bill, Brady Bill."  Mrs.
Brady's sentiments were echoed by speaker after speaker as the
convention progressed.
 
In her speech, Mrs. Brady was vague about her future plans,
asking only that Congress "give us the laws that we need."  To
fawning interviewers on the next morning's talk shows, she
praised proposals to "expand" the Brady Act and said, "There's
more to be done."  Presumably she's thinking of HCI's so-called
"Brady II" legislation, first introduced right after the passage
of the Brady waiting period. (See the attached fact sheet on
"Brady II" as introduced in 1994.)
 
The implications of "Brady II," as you know, are staggering. 
First, Brady and her allies think you should have a $300 federal
"arsenal license" if you own more than 20 firearms or 1,000
rounds of ammunition. With that license your home would be
subject to unannounced inspections by BATF agents.
 
They also plan to increase the taxes you pay to purchase handguns
and handgun ammunition 30% and 50% respectively. They want to
lengthen the waiting period for buying a handgun (you could only
buy one in any 30-day period) and apply it to ammunition as well.
"Nonsporting ammunition" (whatever that means) would be banned
along with magazines that hold more than 6 rounds.
 
They want you to have a state-issued license in order to buy a
handgun or handgun ammunition. All handgun transfers would be
registered .
 
And, of course, they still want to define vast numbers of
handguns as "Saturday Night Specials."  They define that term in
several ways -- all of which would ban quality guns you may own,
such as most compact .38 revolvers and .380 auto pistols.
 
But not everyone's buying the new Clinton/Brady strategy.  In a
surprisingly sensible August 28 editorial, the Washington Post's
writers attacked the President's focus on prohibiting guns to
domestic abuse offenders as "a dishonest approach to a serious
problem," asking, "Shouldn't the law focus on the act of the
offender rather than the relationship between the victim and the
criminal?"
 
And the Clinton campaign's political wisdom was questioned by USA
Today political columnist Walter Shapiro, who recalled gun
owners' success in the 1994 elections and the fact that it "is
hard to find a candidate who has ever been elected solely because
of his staunch opposition to the gun lobby."  Shapiro asks,
"[A]re the Clinton Democrats so committed to gun control that
they are uncharacteristically willing to risk popularity for the
sake of principle?"
 
Shapiro also noted the anger of many Democratic Members of
Congress who disagree with the party's national attack on guns. 
As Shapiro rightly puts it, "Many Democrats facing tough re-
election fights were grumbling Monday that the last thing they
wanted was for their party to be again identified as gun-control
zealots."
 
In a graphic display of that sentiment, a number of Democratic
delegates turned their backs and walked out on Mrs. Brady's
Monday speech, among them Missouri Congresswoman Pat Danner and
legendary pro-Second Amendment Congressman Harold Volkmer, also
of Missouri.  (Volkmer himself is the target of negative
advertising by HCI.)  "I don't agree with anything [Sarah Brady]
has to say. They just want to ban all guns, that's the agenda,"
Volkmer told a reporter.
 
WHAT YOU CAN DO: If you're a Democrat, we urge you to call the
Democratic National Committee at (202)-863-8000 and protest the
party's national attack on your Second Amendment rights.  And if
your Democratic representative in Congress is one of those who's
supported your firearms freedoms, we urge you to call (202)-
225-3121 and thank him or her for hanging tough despite the DNC and
Clinton campaign's misguided strategy.
 
=================================================================
 
          S. 1878 -- Gun Violence Prevention Act of 1994
         S. 1882* -- Gun Violence Prevention Act of 1994
   (*without excise tax increases and gun exchange provisions)
                 H.R. 3932 (identical to S. 1878)
 
     Anti-gun politicians offer a fairy tale world where the
violent crime problem can somehow be solved by disarming honest 
citizens. Their latest schemes can be described as "Goldilocks 
Gun Control"--ban some guns because they're are too small, ban 
some guns because they're too big and offer a list of "good" 
guns that are just right. The Metzenbaum/Schumer bills, however, 
are not fantasy; they are the gun prohibitionist's wish list.
                
                           PROVISIONS:
 
**  Expands definition of firearms to include component parts --
receiver, barrel, stock, ammunition magazine, "or any part of the
action" (pins, springs, screws, etc.).
 
**  Requires a federal arsenal license for a person to possess
more than 20 firearms (see expanded definition above) or 1,000
rounds of ammunition. License is $300 for 3 years. Licensee is
subject to the obligations and requirements of licensed dealers,
which would include unannounced inspections by BATF.
 
**  Requires state-issued license (valid for no more than 2
years) to buy a handgun and handgun ammunition. License cannot be
obtained without a state-issued handgun safety certificate. 
 
**  Transfer of a handgun requires registering the transfer with
state's chief law enforcement officer. Registration form requires
make, model, caliber and serial number without any provision for
guns about which such information is unknown.
 
**  Increases excise tax on handguns and handgun ammunition to
30% and 50% respectively. All revenue from these taxes goes to a
health care trust fund. Will have a devastating impact on the
Pittman-Robertson wildlife restoration and shooting range
construction account.
 
**  Essentially repeals the Brady Act by establishing a permanent
national 7-day waiting period for handguns and handgun ammunition
sales. The National Instant Check system would apply only to long
guns.
 
**  Prohibits firearm transfers to an individual under
indictment, or firearm possession and transfers to an individual
who has been convicted of an offense involving the use, attempted
use, or threatened use of physical force, or is subject to a
restraining order issued by a court.
 
**  Prohibits transfer of a handgun and ammunition to, or
possession of such by, a juvenile (under 21 yrs. old) or transfer
of other firearms and ammunition to, or possession of such by, a
juvenile (under 16 yrs. old). Exceptions require personal
supervision of an adult.
 
**  Requires "proper storage" of firearms and ammunition to
prevent accessibility by juveniles (under 16 yrs. old). Adult is
liable even if a juvenile is only "likely" to gain access.
Provisions are not limited to the premises of the adult's home.
No exception is made for theft. This provision would "chill" the
ability of any adult to own firearms because of the liability
threshold.
 
**  FFL dealer fee is increased to $1000 annually. Unannounced
inspections are increased to 3 times per year. Gives BATF 6
months, instead of 45 days, to act on a license application.
 
**  Prohibits the purchase or transfer of more than one handgun
in any 30-day period.
 
**  Requires FFLs to carry up to $100,000 in insurance. Requires
a federal firearms license to sell ammunition. "Arsenal" license
holder would be obligated to get insurance coverage.
 
**  Requires safety devices on firearms. The threshold is the
ability of a child less than 7 yrs. of age to discharge a
firearm. Requires pistols with removable magazines to have
magazine safeties and devices that indicate whether the magazine
or chamber is loaded. (NOTE: this last provision is counter-
productive. Might lead some to think a pistol is unloaded because
the magazine is empty, while a round could be in the chamber.)
 
**  Bans semi-automatic "assault weapons" using Feinstein
amendment provisions.
 
**  Bans "Saturday Night Specials," which are defined in several
ways, including: 
     1) a handgun with a barrel, slide, frame or receiver die
     cast of zinc alloy. (NOTE: Die-cast zinc alloy frame
     Firearms International Guardian Regent revolver was the top
     performer in 1971 BATF "handgun destruction" tests.)
     2) a handgun that uses .22 Short (including, of course, any
     .22 L.R.) .25- or .32-cal. ammunition and weighs less than
     18 ozs.                  
     3) any revolver with a barrel of less than 3" and any pistol
     with a combined length and    height of less than 10".
     4) any pistol lacking a "positive manually operated safety
     device."
     5) any revolver with a safety that can't pass a drop test.
 
**  Bans "nonsporting ammunition," including the 73-year-old .50-
cal. BMG cartridge and "any handgun ammunition measuring more
than .45" in diameter." (NOTE: virtually all .45s have Sporting
Arms & Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) tolerances greater than
.450" for bullets and greater than .470" for cases. All .44s are
greater than .450" in their cases.) Also bans "any ammunition
that contains an incendiary or explosive charge" (NOTE: gunpowder
is an incendiary, and primers are explosive charges).
 
**  Bans "large-capacity ammunition feeding devices," defined as
being capable of accepting more than 6 rounds. Also bans any
combination of parts from which such a device can be assembled.
(NOTE: Existing firearms and ammunition covered by the ban on
manufacture will be treated as NFA weapons).
 
**  Eliminates individual right to obtain "relief" from
disability, i.e., to have federal firearms rights restored.
 
**  Provides tax deductions for contributions of goods used for
gun exchange programs.
 
**  Authority provided to impose fees for licensing,
registration, and administering safety courses and examinations.
Such fees could recover more than costs, i.e., such fees could be
imposed to raise revenues.
 
**  Anyone violating the law is liable for all damages
proximately caused by such sale, delivery, or other transfer.
This provision gives federal courts jurisdiction in matters
traditionally dealt with by state law.
 
**  Allows state and local law enforcement agencies to maintain
multiple sales records indefinitely. This is essentially a moot
provision under the one-gun-a-month limitation.
 
**  Eliminates dealers' sales of firearms at gun shows.
 
=+=+=+=+
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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