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July 7, 2014

Vol. 15 No. 26

Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act
Faces Crucial Senate Vote Today

http://nssf.org/share/images/Capitol_150.jpgU.S. SENATE EXPECTED TO VOTE ON LIMITING DEBATE ON MOTION TO PROCEED . . . The "Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act," S. 2363, with 45 co-sponsors and the support of the nation’s leading sportsmen's and traditional conservation groups, faces a key procedural vote later today that will allow Senators to take up the historic package of legislation to expand hunting, fishing and shooting opportunities on public lands. Today, a letter to all Senators was sent on behalf of more than 40 organizations representing millions of hunters, target shooters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts expressing appreciation for the Senate’s strong bipartisan work on S.2363 and urging passage of this historic package of legislation this week. Anti-hunting and extremist environmental groups are working to derail the most important piece of pro-sportsmen’s bills in a generation. To protect your hunting and shooting heritage, call 202-224-3121 and ask your senators to vote to move forward. You can also send emails to your senators. Get NSSF's fact sheet on S.2363.

Import/Export Conference

  • HOTEL DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR IMPORT/EXPORT CONFERENCE . . . To help industry members navigate the federal laws and regulations that govern the import and export of firearms and related products, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the FAIR Trade Group will present our 13th annual Firearms Import/Export Conference on Aug. 5-6. This year's conference features a morning of roundtable sessions with key ATF branches, Customs and Border Protection, Treasury's Tax and Trade Bureau, and Census Bureau's Automated Export System. The conference will also feature presentations from ATF, an update on the U.N. arms trade control actions, and State Department speakers covering policy updates, enforcement trends, compliance, commercial export policies and brokering licenses, among other topics. Register now, hotel reservation cutoff is July 14. Undecided? Watch this video.

Government Relations

  • NSSF SUPPORTS GOV. CHRISTIE’S VETO OF A2006 . . . NSSF issued its support for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s decision to return Assembly Bill A2006, a measure to further limit ammunition magazine capacity, to the state legislature with a reform plan to address individuals with mental illness who pose a danger to the public and addresses current gaps in that state’s mental health system. The Governor’s announcement is well worth reading for its forthrightness and levelheaded approach to the policy discussion regarding public safety.

  • OP-ED: SOLUTION TO VIOLENCE LIES IN MENTAL HEALTH, NOT GUN CONTROL . . . Former police officer, Army officer and California Assembly Member Ken Maddox writes in the Sacramento Bee that his own experience tells him that the calls of anti-gun organizations for more laws restricting firearms are not responsive to improving public safety and are based on "antiquated rhetoric." The focus, he writes, should be on improving access to mental health resources. Read his op-ed essay.

  • GOV. NIKKI HALEY GETS HER (S.C. COMMEMORATIVE) GUN . . . South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley received a commemorative, special-edition semiautomatic rifle from PTR Industries last week. The company moved to her state last year from Connecticut after highly restrictive anti-gun laws were passed by the state legislature. During a presentation event at PTR’s Horry County facility, Haley promised that South Carolina would never politicize gun ownership. Read a news account.

  • ATF UPDATE: EPS CURRENT PROCESSING TIMES . . . ATF has issued its latest update on NFA processing times. At NSSF’s urging, ATF has taken significant steps to reduce the number of pending NFA applications. As a result, the number of pending NFA applications has been reduced by 25 percent. Consequently, the processing times of certain NFA applications has also been reduced by as much as 30 days. ATF says it will continue to take aggressive steps to reduce the number of pending applications and processing times.

  • ATF PROVIDES LETTER ON BLACK POWDER EXEMPTION . . . ATF on June 30 provided an open letter to all federal explosives licensees/permittees concerning the black powder exemption under the federal laws. View the letter.

For more Government Relations news, read NSSF's latest Government Relations Update.

Research

  • INPUT NEEDED TO ENHANCE FUTURE USFWS NATIONAL SURVEYS. . . The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation showed a 9 percent increase in hunting over the 2006 survey. Planning is in process for the next survey in 2016, and NSSF is working on a multi-state grant project that is looking at ways to enhance future National Surveys. NSSF needs input from firearms industry experts that utilize the National Survey data so we can better understand what is important to you and what you would like to see improved. Please contact NSSF Director, Recruitment and Retention Melissa Schilling or NSSF Director, Industry Research and Analysis Jim Curcuruto for more information to assist with this process.


  • NSSF-ADJUSTED NICS BACKGROUND CHECKS . . . The June 2014 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 805,571 is the third highest June on record for the 16-year-old system, even with a decrease of 7.6 percent compared to the June 2013 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 872,025. For comparison, the unadjusted June 2014 NICS figure of 1,375,135 reflects an 8.2 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,270,817 in June 2013. More information.

Legal

  • NSSF, SAAMI FILE BRIEF IN HOLLOW-POINT AMMUNITION CASE . . . NSSF and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) late last week filed an amicus (friend of the court) brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in support of the ongoing suit seeking to overturn the San Francisco city ordinance banning the sale to civilians of hollow point ammunition. In the filing, NSSF and SAAMI explain that the banned ammunition is commonly used for self-defense, is not more lethal than other types of ammunition and poses less of a threat to law enforcement officers and innocent bystanders than the ammunition San Francisco is forcing its citizens to purchase. Read the filing.

Retailers

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  • ORCHID ADVISORY: FIVE KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT FFL COMPLIANCE INSPECTIONS . . . In today’s Orchid Advisory, five key questions about FFL Compliance Inspections are answered. Orchid Advisors is an endorsed compliance information provider for NSSF members.

  • MORE SOUND ADVICE FOR RETAILERS REGARDING RECORD KEEPING . . . For several years errors in Acquisition and Disposition (A&D) records have been the number one violation cited by the ATF on firearms compliance inspections. Each kind of error, and each instance of an error, is a separately citable violation. Harry McCabe, former ATF Deputy Assistant Director and Consultant to NSSF, has put together some guidelines that will help retailers avoid making these errors and show how to correct them if they are made.

  • MORE QUESTIONS ANSWERED . . . Two more great questions to share from our NSSF ATF Compliance Hotline (available 24/7 and free to all of our members!). One concerning personal firearms on display in a store and the second question regarding a request from a police officer for the original 4473 linked to a firearms purchase. Do you know the correct answers? Find out and share with your staff.

News of Note

  • CROSMAN HOSTS FIELD TARGET CHAMPIONSHIP . . . Crosman Corp. will play host to the Northeast Regional Field Target Championship July 12 and 13 at the company’s Bloomfield, New York, campus. A rifle event using steel targets, NRFTC is open to professional and amateur shooters alike. One hundred competitors from 14 states and Canada are expected for the competition, the largest event of its kind in the U.S. For additional information, visit www.crosman.com/nrftc.

  • SSSF’S NEW FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN . . . The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation has launched a new initiative to provide financial support for its Scholastic Clay Target Program and the Scholastic Pistol Program. There are four different ways to participate: the SSSF Annual Fund, the Champion's Roundtable for major gifts, Scholarship and Operating Endowment Funds for designated donations, and the Legacy Society for donors who wish to include SSSF in their estate plans. Visit www.sssfonline.org and click on the “donate” page to learn more.

  • DUVALL LEAVES USA SHOOTING . . . USA Shooting announced last week that Buddy DuVall has left his position as executive director of the USA Shooting Team Foundation. Formerly a pistol shooter on the National Team, DuVall helped the Foundation garner more than $7 million in support for athletes and programs. “We thank Buddy for his years of dedicated service to USA Shooting and to growth of the Foundation,” said USA Shooting CEO/Executive Director Robert Mitchell. “Buddy will continue as USAS member, friend and strong supporter.”

  • NRA’S COX IS NASGW SPEAKER . . . Chris Cox, Executive Director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, will be the featured speaker at the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers’ Annual Awards Reception and Dinner on Oct. 14, prior to the opening of the NASGW Expo Oct. 15-17 in Little Rock, Arkansas. “We’re delighted to have Chris highlight this year’s Awards program,” said Kent Williams, NASGW Chairman of the Board. “With the upcoming November national and state elections, it’s very important for all of our members to stay current with what is happening at state capitols and Congress.”

  • NEW LOOK FOR USSA WEBSITE . . . The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance invites everyone to visit its newly renovated website. Enhancements to the site make it easier for viewers to stay current on the work USSA is doing to defend and advance hunting, fishing and trapping. The site also showcases a new video series, allows for easy membership signups and more. Visit at www.ussportsmen.org

Jobs

  • FIREARMS INDUSTRY JOBS . . . Visit www.nssf.org/jobs for current employment opportunities in the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry. Employers: Log in to post a job opening.

NSSF's Mission

"To promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. "

Click here to visit the NSSF website and see how we accomplish this mission.


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