NRA-ILA | Grassroots Alert: Vol. 19, No. 31 8/3/2012

Grassroots Alert: Vol. 19, No. 31 8/3/2012

NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS ALERT: Vol. 19, No. 31 08/03/2012

On July 30th, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) introduced legislation that would impose sweeping new--and not so new--restrictions on ammunition sales.

The bills, S. 3458 and H.R. 6241, are known as the “Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act.” The bill itself has four elements: (1) A federal licensing requirement for ammunition sellers; (2) Recordkeeping on all ammunition sales; (3) Reporting of all sales of more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition to anyone without a federal firearms license within five consecutive business days; and (4) A photo identification requirement for all non-licensees buying ammunition, “effectively banning the online or mail order purchase of ammo by regular civilians.”

The two lawmakers’ contempt for “regular civilians” is nothing new, and neither are the first two of the requirements they propose. Starting in 1968, ammunition dealers had to have licenses from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and also had to keep records of purchasers. The recordkeeping requirement on .22 caliber rimfire ammunition was so burdensome that it was repealed in 1982. Congress did away with the remaining licensing and recordkeeping provisions as part of the "Firearms Owners’ Protection Act of 1986" after the BATF itself said the restrictions had “no substantial law enforcement value.”

Watch the Latest Grassroots News Minute

Senate Leaves Town without Magazine Ban Debate

Gov. Quinn uses a previously NRA-Backed Ammunition Purchase Reform Bill as Vehicle for Gun Ban

Yesterday, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) vetoed the NRA-backed ammunition purchase reform bill, Senate Bill 681, after this common sense legislation had passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Illinois legislature (previously reported on here). In a crass attempt to exploit the recent tragedy in Colorado and seek media attention, Quinn used his Amendatory Veto powers in a foolhardy attempt to impose more draconian gun control in Illinois.

Congressional Report on "Fast & Furious" Reveals Serious Misjudgments

This week, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released Part 1of a joint congressional report on the findings of the investigation into the "Fast & Furious" gun smuggling scandal. The first part looks at the actions of the Phoenix BATFE regional office and the Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office. Parts 2 and 3 will be released in the coming months and will look at the roles of the Deputy Attorney General's office and the Justice Department's Criminal Division.

Part one of the report consists of 2,359 pages, including 211 pages of text, with 692 footnotes, 266 exhibits, and three appendices. The report's conclusion is stark...

Lt. Col. Courtney Rogers Wins Republican Primary for TN House District 45

Second Amendment Supporters Prevail in Other Key Races as Well

The NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) congratulates Courtney Rogers for winning the Republican primary in Tennessee House District 45.

"This election represents a great victory for the Second Amendment," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. "As a person who places principle over politics, Lt. Colonel Rogers will bring leadership and integrity to the legislature. She earned an "A" rating and endorsement from the NRA-PVF, and we are proud that a strong supporter of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms will be on the ballot in November."

Shotgunner Kim Rhode Sets U.S. Olympic Record

NRA offers its sincere congratulations to shotgunner Kimberly Rhode, who, on July 29, won a gold medal in women's skeet shooting, becoming the first American to win individual medals in five straight Olympics.

In her dominating win on Sunday, Rhode tied a world record with 99 points out of a possible 100.

Rhode's Olympic journey began in 1996 at the Atlanta Summer Games, where she won in double trap. She went on to medal in Sydney, Athens, Beijing, and, now, London.

Order Your NRA-ILA Yard Signs Now!

It has been estimated that well-placed campaign signs can account for four percentage points on Election Day. Think back to the 2000 presidential election, where 537 votes in Florida separated George W. Bush from Al Gore, and four percentage points seems like a landslide!

While you are focused like a laser beam on the November 6 election, some gun owners may not be aware of what's at stake for the future of the Second Amendment on Election Day.

What You've Been Missing on Facebook

The National Rifle Association Facebook page recently surpassed its goal of 1.55 Million fans! Currently, the NRA has over 1,567,000 fans on Facebook and we are growing every day. Find out the latest and greatest from around the NRA, including top stories, special alerts to news and issues, NRA Giveaways, and special Facebook-only graphics to share with your friends. To find out why the NRA has so many friends on Facebook, "Like" us at www.Facebook.com/NationalRifleAssociation.