If you have been meaning to write your Senators & the Senate Majority Leader about The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, but you haven't because you really didn't know what to say or how to say it, fret no more!

Behold the following sample letters, generously provided by fellow gun owners who realize that the only way to win the 2nd. Amendment struggle is to stay active & involved.

If you are unaware of what S.659 is, and why it is so important, click Here for all the details.

Feel free to mix & match, cut & paste, and generally adapt these letters as you see fit. It really doesn't get any easier than this, so please help to get his much needed legislation passed!!!


Thanks to SpaceEngineer @ SigForums.com...    

Senator XXXXX: I am writing in order to urge your support of S.659, The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. The firearms industry has come under considerable attack by opponents using outrageous lawsuits which subsequently damage these industries. These lawsuits are nothing more than thinly-veiled attempts to drive these businesses out of business. The firearms business is about the only business in the US where the manufacturers and distributors are being held responsible for illegal or improper use of the product by the consumer. For these actions to be fair, we would have to allow huge lawsuits against automobile manufacturers for the thousands of people killed and maimed each year in traffic accidents. The opponents of firearms are usually driven by emotion and rarely by facts. I expect our elected officials to give the public laws that are sensible and based in fact, and not ineffective laws based on knee-jerk reactions that burden the American people for some political gain. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act is a sensible bill that provides reasonable protection to a necessary industry. Unfortunately, this express protection is only necessary because of those that wish to attack the industry out of emotion or political gain. I urge your support of this bill in the Senate. Failure to support this bill may result in several things. The failure of the firearms industry will either altogether prevent, or make prohibitively expensive, the purchase of firearms by law-abiding citizens who wish to exercise their Second Amendment right to defend themselves. Florida has taken the lead in the nation in developing lawful gun ownership laws and a concealed weapons program, and because of that, is enjoying reduced crime. Failure of the firearm industry will also cause an inability for the police and military to acquire firearms for their purposes. Furthermore, failure of the firearm industry will have an economic effect on Florida. Not only will many, typically family-owned dealers be effected, but so will several prominent Florida manufacturers and distributors such as Taurus, Kel-Tec, Jonathon Arthur Ciener, European American Armory (EAA) and Knight Armament. Again, I ask you to bring common sense to the US Senate and the laws of our nation, and support S.659, The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.

Thanks to John Wayne 777 @ assaultweb.net...

Senator XXXXX, I am writing to urge your support of S.659, The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. The continual use of our court system as a means to bankrupt gun makers by anti-gun forces must be stopped once and for all. Gun makers are making legal products for the legitimate uses of recreation, sport, and self defense. As such, they should not be able to be sued for the criminal misuse of a product that they intend for the law abiding. Almost every case that has come before the courts suing gun makers has been roundly thrown out. The few that have made it to trial have been shot down or overturned on appeal. There is clearly no legal precedent to hold a product maker liable for the criminal misuse of the product they make. The anti-gun forces are using these lawsuits as a way to drain the gun makers of funds. Money spent paying Lawyers to defend them in court is money they can't spend on pay for employees, research, product development or improvement. I am sick and tired of seeing the American court system being used as a weapon against American citizens. We have a serious tort problem in this nation that MUST be reformed if our economy and government institutions are to survive. This bill is the first step in that direction and I urge you to support it. I am a proud member of the National Rifle Association, and the Virginia Citizens Defense League. I will be watching the actions taken on this legislation with keen interest. The 2000 election was won for President Bush by concerned gun owners like myself. Anti-Gun politics has proven to be a poor strategy for victory in numerous races since that time. The American people understand that they must have a means of self protection, especially in the age of terrorism. They cannot protect themselves if there is no one in business to make arms suitable for defensive use. I urge your support of this bill... Thank you.

Continued....

The following two letters are mine...

Dear Senator XXXXX, As a registered voter & life long resident of our state, I would like to bring to your attention The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (S.659), & I strongly urge you to help bring this much needed legislation to a vote, & to vote in favor of it's passage. S.659 is common sense legislation that will help prevent abuse of the legal system and help curb the growing problem of frivolous lawsuits. These frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers for political purposes are a disgrace and abuse of our legal system, and need to be stopped as soon as possible. Furthermore, these reckless lawsuits endanger legitimate American companies & jobs at a time when our national economy needs all the help it can receive. The U.S. House of Representatives has wisely passed their version of this bill with overwhelming bi-partisan support, and I would urge you & your colleagues to follow suit. In fact, The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act already enjoys 52 Co-Sponsors (eight of which, are Democrats,) & I would like nothing more than to see my Senators from the great state of New York weigh in on the side of good sense, fair legal reform, and justice. To this end, I once again implore you to lend your full & considerable support to the passage of The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (S.659). Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your reply. Regards, XXXXX

Dear Senator Frist, As a registered voter & life long Republican, I would like to bring to your attention The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (S.659), & I strongly urge you, in your capacity as Senate Majority Leader, to help bring this much needed legislation to a vote, & to vote in favor of it's passage. S.659 is common sense legislation that will help prevent abuse of the legal system and help curb the growing problem of frivolous lawsuits. These frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers for political purposes are a disgrace and abuse of our legal system, and need to be stopped as soon as possible. Furthermore, these reckless lawsuits endanger legitimate American companies & jobs at a time when our national economy needs all the help it can receive. The U.S. House of Representatives has wisely passed their version of this bill with overwhelming bi-partisan support, and I would urge you & your colleagues to follow suit. In fact, The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act already enjoys 52 Co-Sponsors (eight of which, are Democrats,) & President Bush is on record as supporting this legislation. I would like nothing more than to see the U.S. Senate weigh in on the side of good sense, fair legal reform, and justice. To this end, I once again implore you to lend your full & considerable support to the passage of The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (S.659). Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your reply. Regards, XXXXX

Thanks to Klutz347 of AR15.com...

As a law abiding firearms owner I urge you to support the "common sense" legislation of The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, S.659. The frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers for political purposes are a disgrace and abuse of our legal system. Firearms manufactures produce a legal product that thousands of law abiding people enjoy using. To say that the manufacturer, distributors, dealers and importers of a legal product can be held responsible for how that legal product is used unbelievable. It is like saying that an automobile made by GM, Ford or other manufacturer is responsible for the traffic deaths caused by a drunk driver. The manufacture, importation, possession, sale, and use of firearms and ammunition in the United States are heavily regulated by Federal, State, and local laws. Such Federal laws include the Gun Control Act of 1968, the National Firearms Act, and the Arms Export Control Act. 20. The possibility of imposing liability on an entire industry for harm that is solely caused by others is an abuse of the legal system, erodes public confidence in our Nation’s laws, threatens the diminution of a basic constitutional right and civil liberty, invites the disassembly and destabilization of other industries and economic sectors lawfully competing in the free enterprise system of the United States, and constitutes an unreasonable burden on interstate and foreign commerce of the United States. I urge You to support the "common sense" legislation of The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, S.659. Thank you.

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice;
it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved".

                                   -William Jennings Bryan

These are good examples. State your topic in the first line clearly - "support S.659".

Anything else in the letter may or may not get read save your name and address.

I dunno, I still don't think it's easy enough.  Can you send me a stamp as well?

Well I copied and pasted them into Word, but unfortunately they will be going to shitheads Klinton and Schuler, who will probably give it to their aides to clean their ass with.  Maybe they'll get a paper cut or something.  These two have got to be in the top 3 of Senate losers.  I apologize to the rest of the country for these two.  Unless you voted for them, then please go hang out in Redhook with your nice cars and let the carjackings begin biotchs.

It's still to HARD!!

I had to click my mouse 10 times, now my finger hurts. [>Q]



Two e-mails sent to my senators. I'll be sending them e-mails twice a week.

Thank you, one and all, for posting your letters. They are on their way to the senators from Ohio, BOTH of which are riding the fence pretty hard right now!

(Oh yeah, I made different ones for my Mom to send!!!)

Thanks for the tack Paul!

It's an uphill battle to generate interest in this bill, but I'll keep plugging away, just as long as others get involved.

BTW folks... feel free to post your own letters in this thread. The more examples to draw from, the better!

I would like to ask you for your support of  The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, S.659.  The manufacturers of firearms deserve protection from frivolous lawsuits and unreasonable claims of responsibility. The makers of firearms should not be held to task for the unlawful acts committed with their products any more than other manufacturers should be held accountable for illegal acts committed by persons using their products. Our gun laws on the books are quite capable of being a deterrent, if they are implemented to the extent the law provides. Please help protect our heritage of firearm ownership, by protecting the firearm manufacturers from unfounded lawsuits and blackmail tactics.

  As short and sweet as I could get it for my Democrat senators in WI

Way to go Swede7!

Keep them coming guys!!!

A few pointers...

- In any effort to influence our elected Reps.,"snail mail" still reigns supreme. Good old typed and hand signed letters sent via first class mail make Congresscritters take notice of your opinion because they understand that a letter takes time and effort to compose. They realize that if you are passionate enough about an issue to take the time away from your family and career to write them, you are damn sure going to show up on Election Day to help vote them out of office!

- Don't just write to a Reps. Washington offices... Send copies of your letter to 1 or 2 of their home district offices (you can always find these addresses on a particular Reps. web site.) I doubt they cross-reference the names on the letters, so this tactic is a good force multiplier.

- Follow up is very important!!! Sending a couple of letters is just the beginning. A few weeks after I send out letters, I like to fax an identical copy of the letter to the Reps. office as a pleasant reminder that the issue is still important and that I am not going away.
A couple of weeks later, follow up with a polite phone call to your friendly Rep. Ask for their position on the issue. Voice your opinion, tell them how you want them to vote, and thank them for their time.
Wait a few weeks, and start the process over again! Keep the pressure on!!!

*Notice I didn’t recommend sending E-mails... many of them are deleted unread &/or ignored by Congressional staff members.

Hope some of this helps.

A former division officer's wife worked in the admin departments of two or three congress critters as she climbed the ladders in DC. She explained to me the way things work behind the closed doors. Your congressmen sees and hears nothing of the original input. Interns injest everything and tabulate the numbers for the next day. Everything is recorded in different columns - e-mail, paper mail, telephone calls, etc. The only way to actually get a letter read by your representitive is to attach a sizeable check to the letter - five figures is a good starting point size of your state depending.

All communications with your senator are recorded and addresses are gleamed for future communications and fund raising.

I've got Boxer and Feinswine - equal to Clinton and Shumer on a good day worse than them on a bad one.

NYPatriot,
Thanks for the pointers on writing letters to our "elected" officals.  

With all of your permissions, I would like to cut and paste parts of all the letters into something new, so they don't read the same letter every couple of weeks.  I think that if you give them something new to read they won't just say "Yeah, I remember this guy, same letter" and through it in the round file.

If I do have your permission, after I get it done, I will submit it as a reply to this thread.

So Paul, do you really think it's even worth it to write to those two?

Klutz347, not that you need anyone's permission, but please, go right ahead and use these sample letters however you see fit!!!

That's the whole point of compiling them into one thread. The idea being that this is a clearing house of ideas & language that others can draw on for use in their own letters.

Heck... I don't care if people just cut & paste. The idea is to remove all the barriers & excuses that sit in the way of us becoming motivated & active about this much needed legislation.

thanks for the work!  I'll probably fiddle with these tomorrow.

Thanks NYPatriot

I know I probably didn't need permission to use someone else's work, but I now feel better knowing that I can.

Thanks again,
Ron

Yet another letter, this time provided by Wmarden @ SigFourms.com...

Dear Senator XXXXX, First off I would like to thank you for being a co-sponsor of the senate resolution 659,Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. And it has greatly encouraged me about your potential as representing my viewpoints. I would urge to you to continue to keep up the good work by voting against any laws that infringe on any of my constitutional rights. The President has recently dissapointed me by announcing that he is in favor of renewing the ill named and unconstitutional Assulat Weapons Ban. As you know a great many of the people you represent in Arkansas are proud gun owners. I am one of them. Further I am one of them who is trying to make a career in law enforcement. So I understand a little about the criminal element so called gun control laws are purported to disarm. Let me tell you that criminals are less concerned about gun laws than just about any other law on the books. Such laws only disarm law abiding citizens and create difficulting in obtaining an effective means of self protection. Criminals who are high on meth or just plain sociopaths are prepared to kill, they could hardly care less if the weapon they may choose is illegal or not. And from crime statistics I have seen they prefer to operate where such laws are very strict as they know their victims will not fight back. Look at the crime rate in Washington DC where they have unconstitutional laws banning private posession of hand guns. It sure does not stop the average gang banger from killing people at a high rate does it. Compare that to the crime rate in Virginia where people can obtain a permit to exercise their constitutional right to bare arms, commonly known as a concealed handgun permit. Quite a difference. SO the facts are real clear to me. 1. Criminals disobey laws. 2. Gun laws do not discourage criminals from violence. 3. You have cosponsered a great resolution. Keep up the good work, I might vote for you this next election if you keep my rights in mind in your votes. Best regards,

Useful information bump.

Anyone wanting to chart the progress of this bill can click on... U.S. Senate Web Site , and enter S.659 in the bill search feature.

Introductory remarks were made on 3/20. This is the last activity on S.659

Let's kick start this bill by writing early & often!!!

4 ohioans
2 new yorkers
1 Georgia
1 florida
4 west virinia

Letters were sent! I have a mailing list, and the folks on it mail from their state what I send them!!!!

Bump for progress made...

According to Mugzilla (thanks much), Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) just co-sponsored The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act!!!!

Voinovich usually rides the fence on gun issues, so this news is hard evidence that  your letters, faxes, and phone calls DO make a difference!

Let's keep the pressure on our Senators, folks... we are winning this one!

Quoted: So Paul, do you really think it's even worth it to write to those two?

No, Feinstein's standard response to any RTKABA issue is "to agree to disagree" without even considering your position. ( what do you know anyway )

Thanks to CRC...

Advocates Fight Gun-Immunity Bill: 5/27/2003 Arguing against a gun-immunity bill now before the U.S. Senate, gun-control advocates say its passage would hurt victims of violence such as those in last fall's Washington, D.C. area sniper shootings, the St. Joseph News-Press reported May 15. The bill, which is backed by President Bush and the National Rifle Association (NRA), would protect gun manufacturers and sellers from lawsuits stemming from the criminal or unlawful use of their products. Senate Democrats are trying to delay the legislation, which has 52 cosponsors in the Senate. Several of the bill's cosponsors, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, have received substantial campaign contributions during the last election from the NRA and other gun-rights organizations. For instance, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) received $8,950, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) received $3,500, Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.) received $9,900, and Sen. Christopher Bond (R-Mo.) received $1,000. Sixty votes would be needed to block a Democratic filibuster. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), who is against the bill, said Democrats may also try to add amendments that would close the gun show waiting-period loophole, include safety-lock language, and tighten criminal background checks. "I just hope this Congress doesn't bow down to the raw political power the NRA exhibits," Reed said. The bill has already passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a 285-140 vote.

The Dems are trotting out their old tricks & agenda folks. Don't let them get away with it...

Call, fax, and write your Senators & tell them you want an undiluted, unamended version of S.659 brought to a vote & passed!!!

From the NRA-ILA website...

Lawsuit Bill At Critical Juncture (6/21/03)

Continuing debate over S. 659-the Senate bill to prohibit reckless lawsuits-means that it is more important than ever that you continue to contact your U.S. Senators and ask them to do everything in their power to ensure that this common sense bill is approved.

As we've noted in past Alerts, the anti-gunners will do all that they can to defeat this critical piece of legislation, including launching a filibuster.

This week, we got another vote closer to the 60 votes needed to defeat the filibuster, when Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) signed on as yet another co-sponsor to S. 659.

Those of you in Maine should contact Sen. Snowe to thank her for her co-sponsorship of S. 659.


Keep the the letters, faxes, E-mails & phone calls coming folks... the pressure is getting to them!!!

+1 so I can find this later.

Voinovich of Ohio (R) is a cosponsor too! He signed on 2 weeks after I sent all my letters from friends and relatives!!!

I'll let Jim "The BEAR" Brady give you this update is his own slurred, unintelligible words...

Congress in Recess, Immunity Legislation Still No-Go (8/12/03)

For many months now, we have asked you, our loyal Brady Campaign members and supporters, to contact your Senators and tell them not to support S.659, a dangerous bill that would give unprecedented legal immunity to the gun industry and bar shooting victims from suing reckless gun dealers and manufacturers who, through their negligence, supply the illegal gun market and allow guns to fall into the wrong hands. We have good news! Congress has recessed for the remainder of August, and thanks to the thousands of calls, e-mails, and letters from concerned Brady Campaign members and supporters like you, we have been able to stave off this dangerous immunity legislation from being introduced in the Senate. Thank you to all of you for standing up to the NRA and their cohorts in the gun industry! Thank you for taking action even when the odds seem stacked against us! And thank you for believing that our combined efforts can make a difference! They have! Of course, we know the NRA isn't finished with this fight. But neither are we! So we'll need your help this fall! We'll have to make our voices heard again. Keep watching for more updates and ways you can help. United, we can create an America free from gun violence! "Thumbs up to all of you for your generous support! Together, we will build a safer America." - Jim "The BEAR" Brady

So... are we going to let these leftist, freedom grabbing chuckleheads win the fight to influence the Senate, or are we going to get off our fat asses, and make damn sure that when our Senators come back from recess, they are met with a mountain of letters urging their support for S.659?!?!?!

Please don't prove Imbroglio right...

Great news update! (9/27/03) The log jam has just given way, and it looks like we just might WIN this one!!!

www.nssf.org./

Bipartisan Support Grows for Federal Legislation
To End "Junk Lawsuits" Against Firearms Makers

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle Joins Republican Leadership 
in Cosponsoring Bill to Protect America's Firearms Industry


NEWTOWN, Conn. - Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) announced today that he was joining with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in cosponsoring legislation to protect firearms manufacturers and dealers against "junk" lawsuits that have been filed across the country seeking to blame them for the criminal misuse of their products.

Senator Daschle becomes the 55th senator to cosponsor the legislation. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act passed the House in April by an overwhelming and bipartisan margin (285-to-140). The bill enjoys the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, as well as organized labor members working in the firearm industry.

In a statement released today announcing his support, Daschle said, "It is wrong -- and it is a misuse of the civil justice system -- to try to punish honest, law-abiding people for illegal acts committed by others without their knowledge or involvement. That's not the way we do things in America. We don't hold innocent people responsible for acts they are not involved in and over which they have no control."

The bill does not prevent truly injured parties with legitimate claims from having their day in court. For example, persons injured by defective or illegally sold guns would still be able to sue gun makers and dealers for their injuries.

More than 30 states have already enacted similar legislation, but a reform to federal law is needed prevent frivolous, politically motivated lawsuits filed by municipalities and special interest groups from bankrupting responsible companies by blaming them for the actions of criminals.

"We welcome Senator Daschle's support of this important, common sense legislation to end the abuse of our legal system," said Doug Painter, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Painter called upon the Senate to act swiftly to pass the bill.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), since 1961 the trade association for the makers and sellers of firearms, ammunition and related hunting and recreational shooting products, has been named as a defendant in some of the groundless suits brought against the industry.

Quoted: Great news update! (9/27/03) The log jam has just given way, and it looks like we just might WIN this one!!! www.nssf.org./ Bipartisan Support Grows for Federal Legislation To End "Junk Lawsuits" Against Firearms Makers Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle Joins Republican Leadership  in Cosponsoring Bill to Protect America's Firearms Industry NEWTOWN, Conn. - Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) announced today that he was joining with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in cosponsoring legislation to protect firearms manufacturers and dealers against "junk" lawsuits that have been filed across the country seeking to blame them for the criminal misuse of their products. Senator Daschle becomes the 55th senator to cosponsor the legislation. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act passed the House in April by an overwhelming and bipartisan margin (285-to-140). The bill enjoys the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, as well as organized labor members working in the firearm industry. In a statement released today announcing his support, Daschle said, "It is wrong -- and it is a misuse of the civil justice system -- to try to punish honest, law-abiding people for illegal acts committed by others without their knowledge or involvement. That's not the way we do things in America. We don't hold innocent people responsible for acts they are not involved in and over which they have no control." The bill does not prevent truly injured parties with legitimate claims from having their day in court. For example, persons injured by defective or illegally sold guns would still be able to sue gun makers and dealers for their injuries. More than 30 states have already enacted similar legislation, but a reform to federal law is needed prevent frivolous, politically motivated lawsuits filed by municipalities and special interest groups from bankrupting responsible companies by blaming them for the actions of criminals. "We welcome Senator Daschle's support of this important, common sense legislation to end the abuse of our legal system," said Doug Painter, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Painter called upon the Senate to act swiftly to pass the bill. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), since 1961 the trade association for the makers and sellers of firearms, ammunition and related hunting and recreational shooting products, has been named as a defendant in some of the groundless suits brought against the industry.

Thats great news! But the battle don't end till that bill is signed by GW, so we got to keep up the pressure.

Photoman...

Thats great news! But the battle don't end till that bill is signed by GW, so we got to keep up the pressure.

True enough.  A nice flurry of faxes, phone calls & E-mails should help push S.659 into the realm of law!

great, maybe the price of an ar will go down due to less money spent on lawyers to defend from junk lawsuits

Update:10/31/03

www.nealknox.com/alerts/msg00180.html

Oct. 31 Neal Knox Update -- In commemoration of Halloween Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) are scheduled to today introduce the “Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2003.”         And according to an email Thursday from Jim Kessler of “Americans for Gun Safety” to certain Senators, McCain will offer the bill as an amendment to S. 659, the gun industry liability protection bill, which could be on the Senate floor as early as next week.         About a week ago Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and the Republican leadership agreed that S. 659 would be one of four pieces of legislation (in addition to funding bills and nominations) brought to a vote in the closing weeks of the legislative year.   The way the Senate works, that doesn’t guarantee it will.         With 55 co-sponsors, including Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), and enough commitments to end Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s promised filibuster of the bill, it's almost certain to become law -- provided it’s not loaded down with anti-gun Senate amendments like the latest gun show bill and a reenactment of the so-called “assault weapons” bill.         I’ve been specifically told -- as recently as a week ago -- that if the ban on “assault weapons” is attached to the gun industry protection bill (which the Senate might do) NRA-ILA will kill the bill if it can’t be cleaned up in the conference or on the House floor. ----------------         Kessler's email to Senators calls the new McCain-Lieberman gun show bill a "compromise."  It isn't.         It's merely a softer-worded version of the same provisions included in the bill the same pair introduced in May, which was a less-burdensome version of Sen. Lautenberg’s gun show killer bill which passed the Senate in 1999.         The new bill requires “criminal background checks” to be conducted on all sales at “Special Firearms Events” -- not only at gun shows but at “any event at which 75 or more firearms are offered or exhibited for sale.”  It wouldn't be just a "criminal" check, or course, but any disqualifying records -- such as for mental health problems.         Unlike earlier versions, the bill does specifically exempt private sales at a collector's home -- providing BATF doesn't decide he's "engaging in the firearms business" -- and it has a strange new exemption for sales and swaps between dues paying members of private hunt clubs.  Why no exemption for dues-paying members of the Houston Gun Collectors Association at their monthly private meetings?         The operator of a “Special Firearms Event” must have a $200 license, notify the Attorney General 30 days before the “event” of its time, date and duration, with a list of all “vendors” -- including anyone walking around with a “For Sale” sign stuck in the muzzle of a shotgun.         Any single-gun "vendor" who showed up at an "event" would have to be photo-identified and name and address logged by the sponsor, then shipped to BATF within five days of the event.         While gun show sponsors would obviously know to obtain a license, how many shoot sponsors would know to buy it, and complete all the required paperwork, in the chance that two guys on their range made a private swap when all the guns exhibited for sale belonged to dealers on commercial row?         Since the bill requires conducting background checks if "any part of the sale" -- including merely seeing a gun and declining to pay the price -- occurs at the "event" or anywhere on the grounds or parking lot of the event, it invites BATF entrapment for a private transfer without a NICS check days or weeks later at the seller's home or at a range.         With any bill this complex and confusing there is no way to avoid big trouble if BATF decided to make trouble for almost anyone selling guns or sponsoring an event at which a private sale might occur.

Time is obviously short, so please call, fax, and E-mail your Senators (as well as the Senate Majority Leader and the Senate Majority Whip) & tell them you want an undiluted, unamended version of S.659 brought to a vote & passed!!!

Locate YOUR Senator's Fax, Phone, & E-mail info Here


Senator Bill Frist
Senate Majority Leader
Phone: (202) 224-3344
Fax: (202) 228-1264
E-Mail Majority Leader Frist Here

Senator Mitch McConnell
Senate Majority Whip
Phone: (202) 224-2541
Fax: (202) 224-2499
[email protected]

Well, Bush has promised to sign this, so if it passes the Senate unaltered, it will become law!

Quoted: Well, Bush has promised to sign this, so if it passes the Senate unaltered, it will become law!

He also promised to sign the AWB renewal. I will LAUGH my ass off if it gets attached to this legislation!! I can just see the Gun manufacturers, and the repubs elbowing each other out of the way, to pass it!!  

It would be a perfect time now. By election time, and more "war on terror" stuff, the tweedely-dee gun owners will have forgotton all about it!!...

Liberty86... please don't hijack this thread.

I would really hate for it to turn into a pissing match.

Thanks.

www.nealknox.com/alerts/msg00183.html

Neal Knox Update – With only a week before the Senate hopes to recess for the year, Democrats and Republicans are holding counter-filibusters, and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) is promising “extended discussion” of S. 659 (the gun industry liability protection bill).  It’s clear that the bill won’t come up before January. It would have been better for us gun folks to have gotten it out of the way -- even if it did involve a skirmish, and perhaps a loss or losses -- on Senate amendments to reenact the Clinton gun ban, "close the (non-existent) gun show loophole," or other pending gun bills. Hopefully, and probably, such amendments could have been knocked out in conference or on the House floor. However, now we'll face fights on both S. 659 and re-enactment of the so-called "assault weapons ban" during an election year -- and increased efforts to tie the two bills together because politicians always want to try to give constituents from both sides some of what they want, particularly in an election year. Getting the bill out of the Senate this year would also have helped Minority Leader Tom Daschle, who has been taking a lot of flak from fellow Democrats angry over his co-sponsorship of the bill.  Supporting S. 659 will undoubtedly help him in his South Dakota re-election, but not his efforts to play a role in other races. With most of the appropriations bills still pending, some, or all, will wind up in a "continuing resolution" until after the first of the year -- and there's talk of a year-long CR, which would extend government funding at the current amounts, without any gun amendments such as Rep. Todd Tiahrt's (R-Kan.) to rein in BATF's powers.

These recent developments obviously highlight the need to write, call, fax, etc. our elected reps. about S.659 AND the need to block the renewal of the AW ban!

Don't get frustrated.  Get involved... The Essential "End the AW Ban" Contact List & Sample Letter Thread

Ya know I sent a letter about this to my rep and for the longest time I was thinking hey why he hell haven't i heard back from him he always sends something back. Couple of days ago I find an opened envalope from him addressed to me postmarked in OCT. So I was a little pissed that 1. someone opened my mail and 2. that they never told me it was there.