by permission from Stephen P. Wenger
comments in () by the same
Weekly Reminder: HR 45 has not even gained one co-sponsor in committee
and S 2099 died nine years ago. It is not necessary to forward the
hysterical mailings to me.
Friday, January 23, 2009
U.S. Representative Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) recently sponsored H.R. 45,
also known as "Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act."
The bill is, at its core and as its name implies, a licensing and
registration scheme.
The measure calls for all handgun owners to submit to the federal
government an application that shall include, among many other things:
a photo; an address; a thumbprint; a completed, written firearm
safety test; private mental health records; and a fee. And those are
only some of the requirements to be licensed!
The bill would further require the attorney general to establish a
database of every handgun sale, transfer, and owner's address in
America. Moreover, the bill would make it illegal to own or possess a
"qualifying firearm" -- defined as "any handgun; or any semiautomatic
firearm that can accept any detachable ammunition feeding device…"
without one of the proposed licenses.
Additionally, the bill would make it illegal to transfer ownership of
a "qualifying firearm" to anyone who is not a licensed gun dealer or
collector (with very few exceptions), and would require "qualifying
firearm" owners to report all transfers to the attorney general's
database. It would also be illegal for a licensed gun owner to fail to
record a gun loss or theft within 72 hours, or fail to report a change
of address within 60 days. Further, if a minor obtains a firearm and
injures someone with it, the owner of the firearm may face a
multiple-year jail sentence.
H.R. 45 is essentially a reintroduction of H.R. 2666, which Rush
introduced in 2007. H.R. 2666 contained much of the same language as
H.R. 45, and was co-sponsored by several well-known anti-gun
legislators--including Barack Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.
H.R. 45 currently has no co-sponsors.
Rest assured that NRA-ILA will continue to monitor this bill closely,
and will keep you informed of any developments if they materialize.
http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=4329
Friday, May 29, 2009
In the last few weeks, NRA-ILA has received hundreds of e-mails
warning us about "SB-2099," a bill that would supposedly require you
to report all your guns on your income tax return every April 15.
Like many rumors, there's just a grain of truth to this one.
Someone's recycling an old alert, which wasn't even very accurate when
it was new.
There actually was a U.S. Senate bill with that number that would have
taxed handguns - nine years ago. It was introduced by anti-gun Sen.
Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and it would have included handguns under the
National Firearms Act's tax and registration scheme. This has nothing
to do with anyone's Form 1040, of course.
Fortunately, S. 2099 disappeared without any action by the Senate,
back when Bill Clinton was still in the White House. We reported
about it back then, just as we report about new anti-gun bills every
week. Now, it's time for gun owners to drop this old distraction and
focus on the real threats at hand.
http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=4925
---
From GOA: Congratulations! You have stymied the shady tactics used by
Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi to try to pass the
ObamaCare bill and - in the opening salvo of the battle - you blew
them out of the water… As you remember, the ObamaCare bill would dump
your gun-related health data into a federal database. It would also
put your (government mandated) insurance at risk if you keep a loaded
gun for self-defense. But there was a problem: The anti-gun health
bills cost too much, and Obama had promised to pass a bill which would
not raise the deficit by "one penny." So what Obama, Reid, and Pelosi
did was to try to pass a separate bill (S. 1776) which would fund the
anti-gun ObamaCare bill by raising the deficit another $247 billion
dollars… With gun owners responding vigorously to our alerts on this
issue, the motion to invoke "cloture" (or shut off debate) on the bill
failed by a 47-53 vote - 13 votes short of the 60 votes the anti-gun
socialists needed. The victory on S. 1776 means that it will be much
harder for Obama, Reid and Pelosi to pick up the somewhat
fiscally-minded Blue Dog Democrats they so desperately need to get
their anti-gun ObamaCare legislation passed. So congratulations! It
is true that this is only the first battle... but, if we continue
battering Congress as we have, it will be the first of many victories…
http://gunowners.org/a102309.htm
---
LEOSA Clean-Up Bill: Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) introduced
public safety legislation that will promote the responsible use of
firearms in the United States by reforming regulations on retired law
enforcement officials' right to carry concealed weapons. The bill, the
Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2007 (H.R. 2726), will
modernize federal firearms laws to ensure that individual liberties
are upheld and public safety is protected… Under current law, retired
law enforcement officers must carry the required documents, including
state-issued documentation verifying the officers' firearms
qualifications, in order to carry a concealed firearm. However, some
states have refused to issue this documentation. This legislation
would provide an alternative to a state-issued document and would
allow retired law enforcement officers to carry a certification from a
firearms instructor stating that they meet the active duty standards
for qualification in firearms training as established by the
regulating agency in that state. This would allow retired members of
law enforcement that left their agency in good standing to carry a
concealed weapon. Additionally, this bill would amend federal criminal
code to include Amtrak and executive branch police officers as
qualified law enforcement officers eligible to carry concealed
firearms… (Illinois, in particular, has been recalcitrant in offering
its retirees the programs to document annual handgun "qualification,"
as required under LEOSA. At least initially, Illinois did not even
have a state "qualification" standard. Yes, the whole concept is
elitist – I don't require any reminders of that fact. It is also,
contrary to the claims of some of its backers, a poor model for the
rest of the population because of the inclusion of federal standards.)
http://www.policeone.com/off-duty/articles/1957848
---
Amtrak Whines: Amtrak is raising serious objections to a proposal that
would allow passengers to stow unloaded guns in their checked baggage,
saying the train operator cannot screen passengers' bags the same way
airlines do. The Senate passed a measure last month that would allow
passengers to declare and check a weapon on the trains, something
airline passengers can do now, provided the weapon is unloaded and in
a hard and locked case. But Amtrak and some House members are against
the idea. The House did not include the provision in their version of
the bill approved by the Senate… Amtrak Police Chief John O'Connor
said it's possible the system's random bag inspections could catch
someone with an illegal weapon, but that Amtrak does not even have
baggage cars on every train. He said he does not want any weapons,
checked or unchecked, on his trains. But supporters see the measure as
way to keep Second Amendment rights from being restricted…
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/23/amtrak-raises-objections-measure-allowing-guns-trains/
---
Why Don't We See This from Big-City Papers?: Felonious behavior is
becoming more dangerous, if two recent incidents are any indication…
In the second incident, the assailant was shot by someone who
qualifies under the conceal and carry law. Sheriff Greg White is a
proponent of the conceal and carry law, passed by lawmakers in 2003
after Missouri voters rejected a similar law in 1999. The law requires
people to attain a standard of proficiency with weapons before they
are permitted to carry a concealed gun. Proponents of the law believe
it offers a greater sense of security and decreases crime by prompting
felons to consider the consequences of armed confrontation. We confess
to harboring some reservations about the concealed carry law. Our fear
was an increase in guns in public would result in more guns being
displayed prematurely and/or more accidents. White said recently: "All
the fears over conceal and carry have never manifested." We concede
the point. Anecdotal evidence does not suggest an increase in
accidents or unprovoked gunplay. The evidence, however, does show
people defending themselves from harm. The message being sent to
felons is don't bring a weapon to a crime unless you're prepared to
accept the risk. (Emphasis added.)
http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2009/10/20/opinion/072op01hardlessonsy09.txt
---
Georgia Students Debate RKBA: The College Republicans and Young
Democrats held their second annual debate on Wednesday, addressing gun
control and health care reform. "We simply had to do health care
because of the prominent national debate and because it's the most
pressing issue at the moment," College Republicans President Scott
McAfee said. "As for gun control, we were looking for a
'perennial'-type issue, one that always seems to be on the national
radar and interests many people." During the event, one representative
from both of the parties engaged in debate on one of the topics… "The
most common sense argument against gun control is that thugs and
criminals ignore gun laws," Malik said. "These gun laws only harm
innocent, law-abiding citizens. Also, as cliche as this may sound,
guns don't kill people; people kill people." When Salvo asked about
the scope of the Second Amendment, Malik said the amendment was
designed in order to prevent government tyranny. "By unnecessarily
controlling guns, we lay the seeds for government oppression for later
on," Malik said…
http://www.emorywheel.com/detail.php?n=27527
---
California Ammo Bill – What's the Next Step?: …But all that has been
discussed elsewhere already. My new concern is that this law will
come to be seen as "a good first step"--and remember, to the forcible
citizen disarmament lobby, every new restriction is "a good first
step." …Straw purchasers" of ammunition, though, will be much more
difficult to prosecute - unless (we will inevitably be told, when
criminal gun use is inevitably unaffected by AB 962) ammunition is
also required to have serial numbers, with those numbers stored in a
database. As it turns out, an effort has been underway to implement
just such a plan- - "Ammunition Accountability" legislation.
Although passed nowhere yet, efforts have been made (led, in large
part, by the company that stands to profit enormously from passage of
such laws) in at least 18 states, including California, which given
the state's seeming unwillingness to come in at second place in
anti-gun tyranny (just ask the Brady Campaign), is the obvious best
bet for first state to pass it…
http://www.examiner.com/x-2581-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m10d23-Is-California-AB-962-a-precursor-to-ammunition-accountability-laws
---
RKBA Infringed in Nevada, Part 1: Is it possible that Nevada
legislators who claim to support the Second Amendment actually oppose
it? When one looks at state laws and the Nevada Constitution, it
becomes apparent that either state legislators have never understood
the intent of the Second Amendment, or they are in fact hostile toward
it… The wording of the Nevada Constitution suggests it could be used
to attempt to circumvent the original intent of the Second Amendment.
State and local governments appear to have exploited this discrepancy
to enact gun laws that infringe on Second Amendment rights. From Clark
County's registration and waiting-period laws to state-level
background checks and the unconstitutionality of concealed-weapon
permits, Nevada's gun laws restrict individual liberty and allow the
government to usurp more power than what it is granted by people
through the U.S. Constitution.
http://www.npri.org/publications/the-right-to-keep-and-bear-arms-in-nevada-part-i
[Every citizen has the right to keep and bear arms for security and
defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful
purposes. Art. I, § 11(1) (enacted 1982)]
---
Oops, Wrong House: An intruder broke into a home on Oscar Smith Drive
in San Marcos [TX] Wednesday night and came out of the adventure with
several gunshot wounds from a resident of the home. San Marcos police
are investigating. Police responded to a call of someone trying to
break into a home in the 700 block of Oscar Smith Drive. Three
residents were inside when a man forced his way into the home through
a back door. The suspect was armed with a BB gun resembling a real
pistol. One of the residents fired numerous shots from a handgun,
striking the intruder. The man fled on foot. Shortly after the 9:50
p.m. incident, a man arrived at Central Texas Medical Center (CTMC)
with several gunshot wounds. He received primary treatment at the CTMC
Emergency Room and was transferred to the University Medical Center at
Brackenridge in Austin. The man was reported to be in stable condition
Thursday morning…
http://www.newstreamz.com/2009/10/22/intruder-shot-in-home-invasion/
http://www.examiner.com/x-18149-SelfDefense-Examiner~y2009m10d23-San-Marcos-TX-home-invader-shot-in-self-defense
---
More Details on Ohio Shooting: When an armed robber barged into a
North Side motel room Wednesday night and ordered the six people there
to the floor, he put a 70-year-old woman closer to her handgun. The
great-grandmother knelt between the beds, reached into her purse on
the floor and pulled out her .357 Magnum pistol. She fired one shot at
the robber, who staggered from the room, collapsed in the parking lot
and died. "It's a wonder she didn't shoot us all," said her
51-year-old son, who was preparing to hand over his cash when he heard
the gunshot. "She's the worst shot in the world. She said to me, 'God
was with me tonight. You know I couldn't have done that myself.'" …
(As at home, when I am in a hotel room, my handguns remain in my
holsters, until bedtime. Then they go into my shoes, alongside the
bed, where they remain within reach, as do a pair of flashlights,
right next to the shoes. In this report, the family had left the door
open to keep track of the young family members next door, who
presumably also had their door open.)
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/10/22/horse_shoot.html?sid=101
Media Coverage Biased: …WBNS did a good job with their print copy,
reporting that the defender has concealed carry license, and that the
deceased attacker had a criminal history. However, in the accompanying
video, the announcer leads with: "Police say a 70-year-old woman took
the law into her own hands last night." Here is how Sergeant Weiner
responded to the question: Did you tell reporters the lady "took the
law into her own hands?" No. That phrase is not a fair and accurate
depiction of what happened. She was simply defending herself. Had the
perpetrator been arrested, he would have been charged with robbery.
Also, when a perpetrator forces his way into a dwelling with a gun –
it doesn't matter if he forced his way into an apartment, hotel room,
or a house – we would also charge him with kidnapping." …
http://www.examiner.com/x-2879-Austin-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m10d23-Media-bias-Selfdefense-is-murder
---
New TV Show: Lock 'N Load (Showtime, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET) is a
lighthearted docu-series about gun culture and customer service as
practiced in Denver. Practically an infomercial for a mom-and-pop
weapons emporium called The Shootist, it celebrates small business
(Wal-Mart gets disparaged by name on a few occasions) and big stopping
power. Our guide stands - and, on occasion, dances for four or six
beats - behind the counter. "I'm Josh. I'm a gunslinger," he says by
way of introduction. Josh works a restrained rockabilly look, with
statement sideburns and chain wallet. His chunky belt buckle conceals
an ultra-compact pistol…
http://www.slate.com/id/2233311/
---
When Guns Are Outlawed…: Gun Crime in Britain has risen by a shocking
35 per cent in just 12 months. Figures today show there were 10,000
incidents involving firearms recorded by the police last year - almost
half of them in London, with 11 incidents a day. The rise is far worse
than predictions which put the increase at 20 per cent. The startling
jump in firearms offences generally is being driven by a 46 per cent
surge in the use of handguns - now seen as fashion accessories in some
inner cities. The figures, compiled by police forces in England and
Wales, also show that overall crime went up by 9.3 per cent in the 12
months to September 2002. Domestic burglary was up 7.9 per cent and
all major categories of crime rose. But it is the figures on guns that
make the most disturbing reading and deal a blow to New Labour's
"tough on crime" credentials… There were 9,974 gun crimes in 2001-2,
including 97 fatalities and 558 serious injuries. Of these gun crimes,
4,192 took place in the capital…
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-2848001-gun-crime-is-soaring.do
…In the 12 months to September, London saw a 17 percent rise in gun
offenses, up from 1,484 to 1,737. According to government figures for
England and Wales, there are about 50 to 60 shooting deaths in the
country each year. Scotland Yard said the new armed patrols are taking
place in Brixton, a south London district with a reputation as a drug
dealing hotspot, and an area of north London dogged by a turf battle
between rival Turkish drug gangs. The sweeps are being carried out
about once a week by officers already attached to the specialist
firearms unit. Some see the tactic as evidence the Britain may slowly
be rethinking its policy on armed police. ''Since 9/11 they've become
much more aware of the fact that it is a violent world out there,''
said Ayers…
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/23/world/AP-EU-Britain-Armed-Police.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=gun%20crime%20NYC&st=cse
The government has decided to maintain the present tight gun control
despite a call for liberalizing the regulations on owning lethal
weapons to help people defend themselves. Legislator Yu Tien of the
opposition Democratic Progressive Party urged the government yesterday
to follow the U.S. practice of easing the rules to allow law-abiding
citizens to own handguns to protect themselves. Yu said that gun
smuggling is "quite common" in Taiwan, which he said not only enables
gangsters and the wealthy to buy guns easily but also boosts the price
of illegal firearms on the black market. Possession of firearms by the
general public would be a great deterrence against mob activities, he
claimed. In response, Minister of the Interior Jiang Yi-huah said the
government will not consider legalizing gun ownership by the country's
citizens. Jiang said the disadvantages of allowing private gun
ownership far outweigh the benefits and that the ministry may only
consider allowing guards at security firms to carry firearms because
of the special nature of their jobs…
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2009/10/23/229755/Strict-gun.htm
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NRA-ILA Alerts: List members are encouraged to check the alerts for
the week, posted on the NRA-ILA website.
http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx
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