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NRA Names Virginia Lawmaker Defender of Freedom

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

NRA Names Virginia Lawmaker Defender of Freedom

Fairfax, Va.The National Rifle Association awarded Virginia Delegate Todd Gilbert the Defender of Freedom Award at the 146th National Rifle Association annual meeting in Atlanta on Friday, April 28. 

 “Todd Gilbert is a staunch defender of our Second Amendment freedoms,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). “He has consistently stood up to the gun control lobby and aggressively fought to promote our fundamental right to self-protection.”

The Defender of Freedom Award  is awarded to individuals who have distinguished themselves in preserving and protecting our Second Amendment rights.

“On behalf of the NRA’s five million members, I thank Delegate Gilbert for his unwavering commitment to freedom,” concluded Cox.. 

Gilbert most recently promoted the right to self-defense by working tirelessly on an NRA-backed domestic violence package. If signed into law, this important legislative initiative would allow petitioners of protective orders to concealed carry without a permit and create a firearms training fund for domestic violence victims. Gilbert has battled Virginia's anti-gun administration for over two years in an effort to enact this important and potentially life-saving legislation. He has pledged to continue the fight.

Gilbert, the incoming Republican Majority Leader, has served in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2005 and is a Lifetime Endowment member of the NRA.  


Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. More than five million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation's leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Be sure to follow the NRA on Facebook at NRA on Facebook and Twitter @NRA.

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Virginia: More Gun Control Bills Filed Including Semi-Auto Ban and Tax on Suppressors!

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Virginia: More Gun Control Bills Filed Including Semi-Auto Ban and Tax on Suppressors!

Anti-gun legislators in Richmond have been busy ahead of the 2026 legislative session working on ways to burden your Second Amendment rights.

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Permitless Carry

In September, the North Carolina General Assembly briefly returned from recess and re-referred Senate Bill 50, Freedom to Carry NC, to the House Rules Committee.

Ninth Circuit Panel Rules California’s Open Carry Ban is Unconstitutional

Monday, January 5, 2026

Ninth Circuit Panel Rules California’s Open Carry Ban is Unconstitutional

On Friday, Jan. 3, a divided three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that California’s ban on open carry in counties with a population of greater than 200,000 ...

New Jersey: Senate Adds Pair of Gun Bills To Monday’s Agenda

Saturday, January 10, 2026

New Jersey: Senate Adds Pair of Gun Bills To Monday’s Agenda

The year may have changed, but the mission of anti-gun lawmakers in Trenton has not.   Late Friday, the legislature posted two anti-Second Amendment bills for floor action Monday, January 12 in the Senate.

NRA Files Another Lawsuit Challenging the National Firearms Act

Thursday, October 9, 2025

NRA Files Another Lawsuit Challenging the National Firearms Act

Today, the National Rifle Association—along with the American Suppressor Association, Firearms Policy Coalition, and Second Amendment Foundation—announced the filing of another lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA).

California: Committee to Reconsider Concealed Carry License Extension Bill

Friday, January 9, 2026

California: Committee to Reconsider Concealed Carry License Extension Bill

On Tuesday, January 13th, the Assembly Committee on Public Safety will reconsider Assembly Bill 1092, legislation that extends the validity period of Carry Concealed Weapons (CCW) licenses, for a vote only; no public testimony will ...

2025 Litigation Update

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

2025 Litigation Update

In 2025, the National Rifle Association defeated New Mexico’s 7-day waiting period for firearm purchases, the ATF’s “engaged in the business” rule, the ATF’s “pistol brace” rule, a lawsuit seeking to ban lead ammunition in ...

Pro-2A Journalist Awarded in New Jersey: Further Proof the Garden State is Savable?

News  

Monday, January 5, 2026

Pro-2A Journalist Awarded in New Jersey: Further Proof the Garden State is Savable?

It’s rare to see journalists write accurate articles about the Second Amendment and the right to self-defense, and even more rare to see them receive accolades from their mainstream peers for such articles.  

More Anti-Gun “Trajectories” and “Experiments” on the Horizon in Illinois for 2026

News  

Monday, January 5, 2026

More Anti-Gun “Trajectories” and “Experiments” on the Horizon in Illinois for 2026

As a new year begins, a timeless new year resolution remains: Work hard to ensure your state does not become like Illinois. As multiple firearm-related news outlets revisit the highs and lows of 2025, it ...

U.K. Moves to Legally De-suppress Suppressors

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Monday, July 14, 2025

U.K. Moves to Legally De-suppress Suppressors

On July 4th, President Donald Trump signed into law his “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which included a provision that eliminated the tax stamp fee of $200, but did not deregulate suppressors under the National Firearms ...

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NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.