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Grassroots Spotlight: Meet Jay M. Littlefield Award Winners Rick Coufal and Dennis Barthenheier

Monday, February 13, 2023

Grassroots Spotlight: Meet Jay M. Littlefield Award Winners Rick Coufal and Dennis Barthenheier

The annual NRA-ILA Jay M. Littlefield Award recognizes individual NRA members for their meritorious defense of the Second Amendment. Late last year, awards were presented to two individuals for their selfless commitment to upholding and supporting the Second Amendment.

Dennis Barthenheier, owner of Wisconsin Firearms Training Center in Brookfield, Wisconsin, received the award for his invaluable work with the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division over the past five years. Combining his passion for the Second Amendment, with his business, Wisconsin Firearms Training Center, he continually serves as a beacon for pro-Second Amendment activities in Wisconsin.

Dennis is always willing to generously let NRA, local volunteers, and pro-2A activists use his business and resources for so many important grassroots events focused on educating and engaging many in Wisconsin in support of our rights. He additionally lends his own personal time to the cause and has assisted NRA-ILA with other endeavors outside his business, such as NRA State Conferences and other events.

Rick Coufal has been volunteering directly with the NRA-ILA in Oregon for just a few short years, but has made a huge impact!  He has been instrumental in important grassroots outreach in Oregon as a Frontlines Activist Leader, as well as the Legislative Director for the NRA affiliated State Association. Rick went above and beyond the call by not only helping the new NRA-ILA PNW Grassroots Coordinator get acclimated to the region, but also helped to staff numerous gun shows and legislative events that contributed to his accumulation of more than 120+ volunteer hours in a single year. Most recently he was an integral part of the Oregonians for Freedom Committee, which was instrumental in fighting the atrocious Oregon gun control ballot initiative. A U.S. Army Veteran, he has always been a wealth of knowledge and commitment and one day aspires to serve the NRA in a greater capacity on the Board of Directors.

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Trump Reinforces Support for the Second Amendment During National AM250 Address

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Monday, July 13, 2026

Trump Reinforces Support for the Second Amendment During National AM250 Address

It may not need to be said, but we’ll keep saying it: Donald Trump is the most pro-Second Amendment president in the NRA’s history of protecting the right to keep and bear arms.  While the nation ...

NRA Files Comments in Response to ATF’s Regulatory Reforms, Urges Participation!

News  

Monday, July 13, 2026

NRA Files Comments in Response to ATF’s Regulatory Reforms, Urges Participation!

Last week, NRA filed its first round of comments in response to ATF’s comprehensive regulatory overhaul. NRA’s latest input shows the Association’s efforts coming full circle.

Judge Rules Preliminary Injunction Against Virginia “Assault Firearm” and Magazine Bans Secured by NRA Applies Statewide

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Judge Rules Preliminary Injunction Against Virginia “Assault Firearm” and Magazine Bans Secured by NRA Applies Statewide

In the NRA’s challenge to Virginia’s “assault firearm” and magazine bans, Santolla v. Katz, Judge Jeffrey L. Campbell of the Washington County Circuit Court issued a letter opinion yesterday making clear that the preliminary injunction ...

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging Illinois’s Waiting Period Requirement for Firearm Purchases

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging Illinois’s Waiting Period Requirement for Firearm Purchases

The National Rifle Association filed a lawsuit challenging Illinois’s 72-hour waiting period requirement for firearm purchases.

Virginia Anti-gun Lawmakers Delay “Assault Firearm” Carry and Transportation Restriction

News  

Monday, July 6, 2026

Virginia Anti-gun Lawmakers Delay “Assault Firearm” Carry and Transportation Restriction

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) and the General Assembly’s ruling anti-gun majority have delayed the enactment of one of their most controversial pieces of legislation, a severe restriction on Virginians’ ability to move about the ...

Make America Beautiful Again Progress Report Reinforces NRA’s Sporting Priorities

News  

Monday, July 13, 2026

Make America Beautiful Again Progress Report Reinforces NRA’s Sporting Priorities

In the continuing celebratory spirit of America’s 250th anniversary, the Trump administration released the 2026 Make America Beautiful Again (MABA) Midterm Report, a progress report  prepared by the MABA Commission to provide updates on conservation-related initiatives ...

As the Court Decisions Roll In, Have Gun Controllers Finally Overplayed Their Hand?

News  

Thursday, July 2, 2026

As the Court Decisions Roll In, Have Gun Controllers Finally Overplayed Their Hand?

The final week of June brought a flurry of legal action on various gun control laws in the states.

SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Challenges to “Assault Weapon” Bans

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Challenges to “Assault Weapon” Bans

Today, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari in two cases challenging bans on “assault weapons.”

NRA Files Amicus Brief Urging Sixth Circuit to Strike Down NFA Restrictions on Short-Barreled Rifles

Monday, July 13, 2026

NRA Files Amicus Brief Urging Sixth Circuit to Strike Down NFA Restrictions on Short-Barreled Rifles

Today, the National Rifle Association, joined by the Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, and American Suppressor Association, filed an amicus brief in United States v. Machamer, urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the ...

Promises Made, Promises Kept: DOJ Keeps Up Second Amendment Offense

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Thursday, July 2, 2026

Promises Made, Promises Kept: DOJ Keeps Up Second Amendment Offense

We are not getting tired of heaping praise upon Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ), as she continues to push the envelope when it comes ...

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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.