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February 15, 2016

Vol. 17 No. 7

Firearms Industry Names U.S. Rep. Culberson Legislator of the Year

NSSF is honoring U.S. Rep. John A. Culberson (R-Texas) as 2015 Legislator of the Year. The award will be presented during the firearms industry's Congressional Fly-In. Culberson played a pivotal leadership role in convincing senior management of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to forestall the effort to introduce a new regulatory framework that would have banned 5.56mm M855 "green tip" ammunition widely used for target shooting and hunting. Read more.

Government Relations

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• NSSF STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF SENIOR U.S. SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA . . . On behalf of our members, the National Shooting Sports Foundation wishes to express deep sadness on the passing of Senior Associate Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia while on a hunting trip. Justice Scalia authored the pivotal Heller decision and was a true champion of Americans' right to keep and bear arms. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. A man of rare wit, scholarship and wisdom, he will always stand tall in our memories.
  
  

• ADMINISTRATION PROMISES PROGRESS ON ECR . . . In testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee last week, two Obama administration officials promised progress on the Export Control Reform (ECR) initiative, indicating that the administration expects to publish the dual proposed rules to transfer export licensing jurisdiction for our industry's products (USML Categories I – III) before the end of the year. The testimony echoes what the State Department said in a recent letter to 22 members of Congress.
  
  

• NSSF CONGRESSIONAL FLY-IN, APRIL 12-13 . . . The 2016 NSSF Congressional Fly-In will be held April 12-13, 2016. Every year, the Fly-In provides an outstanding opportunity for leaders from NSSF voting member companies and supporting distributor and manufacturing member companies, as well as leading retailers, to meet with members of Congress. Those eligible to attend will receive information regarding registration and hotel information via email. But why wait? You can register now.
  
  

• STATE AND LEGAL ROUNDUP . . . Georgia Senate Bill 282, the Georgia Firearms Industry Nondiscrimination Act, was approved by the Georgia Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral argument in the case of Tracy Rifle and Pistol v. Harris, which challenges on First Amendment grounds a California statute prohibiting the display of advertisements depicting a handgun image visible from outside a building. Michigan has become the 38th state to allow the use of suppressors for lawful hunting.

Read NSSF's latest Government Relations Update for more.

ATF

• ATF LOST OR STOLEN IN TRANSIT REGULATIONS IN EFFECT . . . The new ATF regulations covering the mandatory reporting within 48 hours of the discovery of firearms lost or stolen in transit are now in effect. ATF has guidance on its website detailing the procedures to follow, which NSSF anticipates will be updated in the near future to reflect the new regulations. ATF will not be updating Form 3310.11 so all FFLs should continue to use the existing version of the Form 3310.6.

Firearms Industry Compliance Conference

• REGISTRATION IS OPEN . . . The third annual Firearms Industry Compliance Conference (FICC), May 2-4 in Atlanta, features three learning tracks and timely discussions of how the regulatory environment has evolved over the past two years. Pre-conference sessions will be held May 2 to provide FFLs a concentrated discussion on firearms industry technology and federal firearm regulations. To learn more about the conference, click here. To register, click here. For sponsorship opportunities contact Chris Tatulli at ctatulli@nssf.org and (203) 426-1320 ext. 214.

Retailers/Ranges

• ATF Q&A . . . More great questions came in on our 24/7 NSSF member compliance hotline last week. One question relates to using postal abbreviations on the 4473 forms. Another question relates to selling of firearms that contain parts that, if assembled, would make them illegal to import. Remember that the NSSF Compliance Hotline is provided solely for NSSF members and is just one of the many great benefits NSSF membership offers.
  
  

• DID YOU KNOW? . . . NSSF has partnered with a global maker of sustainable, clean air filtration systems to provide its members a substantial discount on filters and filter systems. Learn more.

NSSF Industry Summit

• SPORTSMEN'S ALLIANCE SPONSORS 2016 INDUSTRY SUMMIT AT SILVER LEVEL . . . NSSF is pleased to announce that Sportsmen's Alliance (formerly U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance) has signed on as a sponsor of the 2016 NSSF Industry Summit at the Silver level. The Columbus, Ohio-based conservation organization has been a long-time partner of NSSF, sponsoring events such as the Summit for more than five years. Read more.

NSSF Shooting Sports Fantasy Camp

• INAUGURAL SHOOTING SPORTS FANTASY CAMP SOLD OUT . . . The April 2016 NSSF Shooting Sports Fantasy Camp is sold out. If you would like to receive information about future Shooting Sports Fantasy Camps, click here.
  
  

• LWRCI SIGNS AS GOLD SPONSOR OF INAUGURAL SHOOTING SPORTS FANTASY CAMP . . . NSSF is pleased to announce that LWRCI International LLC^TM has signed on as a Gold-level sponsor of the 2016 NSSF Shooting Sports Fantasy Camp March 31 through April 2. Headquartered in Cambridge, Maryland, LWRCI is a producer of high-performance, American-made modern sporting rifles and accessories. Read more.

Research

• EXCISE TAX OBLIGATIONS . . . The latest Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection report released by the Department of the Treasury indicates that firearm and ammunition manufacturers reported tax liabilities of $170.8 million in the third calendar quarter of 2015. NSSF Members can log in to view detailed information on quarterly excise taxes.

News of Note

• MULTI-CULTURAL INTERESTS IN TARGET SHOOTING . . . To help the industry adapt to changing times, NSSF is testing how to effectively engage new and diverse audiences through hands-on pilot initiatives. Every member of the industry, from retailer to state agency to manufacturer, needs to determine their best local growth opportunities, whether it's the Hispanic market, millennials, African-Americans, women or other relevant groups. Read more.
  
  

• SCHOLASTIC ACTION SHOOTING PROGRAM 'GET-STARTED' DVD . . . The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation has released a new DVD about the Scholastic Action Shooting Program to benefit coaches, parents and athletes interested in getting started in SASP. The DVD is available for purchase for those attending a SASP-sponsored coach certification course or through the SSSF online store. The following industry sponsors made the video possible: GLOCK, Smith & Wesson, Action Target, CCI, FNH USA, Mossberg and Taurus.
  
  

• IOWA COLLEGE STANDS UP FOR SHOOTING TEAM . . . Let's hear three cheers for Simpson College, recipient of a NSSF grant. In a time of rampant political correctness on our campuses and with anti-gun politicians seizing any opportunity they can find to stigmatize those who enjoy the shooting sports and to vilify the firearms industry, this small liberal arts institution's board of trustees stood up for its collegiate shooters and rejected the political pressure of a former Iowa governor. Read the Des Moines Register story.
  
  

• BECKWITH APPOINTED CFO AT CROSMAN . . . Crosman Corporation, the manufacturer of airguns and ammunition, has named Robert Beckwith the company's chief financial officer. Beckwith joined Crosman in 1999 and has served as the vice president of finance since 2001. "Bob has been a steady guide and forward thinker for Crosman and contributed significantly to the remarkable growth of the company for over a decade," said Brad Johnson, CEO of Crosman.
  
  

• SCOTT WILLIAMS IS CABELA'S PRESIDENT . . . Cabela's Inc. announced last week that Scott K. Williams was appointed the company's president, effective immediately. Williams, who will report to Tommy Millner, chief executive officer, was previously executive vice president and chief commercial officer. He will take on responsibility for U.S. retail operations and operations in Canada. "Scott has made a tremendous contribution to Cabela's over the past five years, and his wealth of commercial and marketing experience has been an invaluable asset to the company," said Millner.
  
  

• OWAA ACCEPTING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS . . . Applications for the Outdoor Writers Association of America's Bodie McDowell scholarship program are being accepted until April 1 for the 2016-17 academic year. Approximately $4,700 in scholarships will be awarded. Undergraduate (juniors and seniors) and graduate-level (one year remaining) college students from all communications and journalism disciplines and all schools may apply. Applications are available online or call 406-728-7434 or email info@owaa.org.
  
  

• NSSF IN THE NEWS . . . The New York Times, Breitbart, CNN Money, Daily Caller, Guns.com and many other news outlets across the country included NSSF in their coverage in recent days. Popular topics included the 2016 SHOT Show, youth shooting sports, government relations and more. View a full wrap-up of NSSF in the News.

Jobs

• FIREARMS INDUSTRY JOBS . . . Visit jobs.nssf.org for current employment opportunities in the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry. Unmatched job listing exposure, easy online job management, résumé search and résumé uploading for job seekers gives NSSF members and non-members more opportunities than ever before.

NSSF's Mission "To promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports." Visit the NSSF website and see how we accomplish this mission.

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