nssf.org

February 27, 2015

ATF Move to Ban 5.56 'Green Tip' Breaks into Wide View

This week, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' (ATF) maneuvering on behalf of the Obama administration to ban widely held 5.56 M855 "Green Tip" ball ammunition caught political fire on Capitol Hill and drew the attention of the mainstream news media. This occurred as tens of thousands of Americans emailed both ATF and their Members of Congress to halt this unwarranted action. Here is a summary of the activity:

  • U.S. House Letter Seeks Answers from ATF . . . A strongly worded letter, now signed by more than 150 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, is being directed to ATF Director B. Todd Jones. The House letter calls into question the reasoning, manner and fast-track timing behind the bureau's recent announcement that it was seeking to end the exemption for 5.56 M855 ammunition under the sporting purposes test that has been in effect since 1986.
  • NSSF Seeks 60-Day Extension for Comments . . . NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Larry Keane this week wrote ATF Director B. Todd Jones requesting that the agency's announced deadline be extended an additional 60 days for comments on the bureau's proposal. "Given the breadth of the impact this new framework will have on the industry and the number of calibers in question, we believe the 30 days allotted by the ATF is not sufficient for companies in the industry and the general public to provide meaningful comments and suggestions," Keane wrote.
  • Mainstream Media Takes Notice . . . While the ATF action was covered heavily for several days by the industry trade and gun websites, as well as generating substantial traffic in social media, the mainstream news media awakened to the issue late this week. NSSF's Larry Keane explains the industry's perspective in today's New York Times.
  • Keep Those Emails Coming . . . Industry employees, target shooters and gun owners should continue to contact your Member of Congress and the ATF to oppose this unnecessary ban, which is truly a solution in search of a problem and raises serious questions about executive agency attitude and overreach. Stopped cold in their attempts to pass more gun control laws on Capitol Hill, this action appears to be the Obama administration's attempt to pursue gun control by other means. See the NSSF Action Alert and email ATF today. You should also email or Tweet your Member of Congress.

 

47 Organizations Advocate Senators to Co-Sponsor Sportsmen's Act

A coalition of 47 organizations including NSSF, representing millions of  American hunters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts, in urging U.S. Senators to sign on as co-sponsors of the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015 (S.405). Recently introduced by Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (CSC) members Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Martin Heinrich (D.-N.M.) along with CSC Co-Chairs Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and Vice Chairs Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), S.405 is a bipartisan package of pro-sportsmen's legislation that will expand, enhance and protect America's hunting, fishing and conservation heritage. NSSF is urging passage in the first half of the 114th Congress. A strong demonstration of bipartisan support for this legislation will aid expeditious committee and floor consideration of S.405.

 

Senate Panel Advances Lynch as Next U.S. Attorney General

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-8 on Thursday to approve Loretta Lynch as the next U.S. attorney general to replace Eric Holder as the nation's top law enforcement official. Three Republicans voted in her favor — Orrin Hatch of Utah, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina — along with all Democrats on the committee. Her nomination is expected to be debated on the Senate floor sometime in March.

 

Registration Open for Apr. 22-23 Congressional Fly-In

Registration has begun for the annual NSSF Congressional Fly-in, April 22-23 in Washington, D.C. This is a great opportunity for leaders from NSSF Voting Member companies and supporting distributor and manufacturing member companies to meet with members of Congress. At stake is passage of the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act, the industry's top priority, as well as defeating President Obama's regulatory gun control agenda. To learn more about the importance of claiming a seat at the table, watch this short video. For security purposes, a full agenda including locations and information on how to book a room in the NSSF hotel block will be sent to you via email after you register. Register today if you plan to attend this crucial Fly-In.

 

Court Denies Petition for Rehearing in Suit Asking EPA to Ban Traditional Ammo

Anti-hunting groups suffered another defeat this week when the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Center for Biological Diversity's (CBD) request for rehearing of the court's decision not to ban traditional lead ammunition under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The court took less than three weeks to issue a one-sentence order rejecting the CBD lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If allowed to move forward, the suit would have had far-reaching consequences for our industry, sportsmen, gun owners, law enforcement and the military, as well as on conservation funding.

NSSF defended the interests of the firearms and ammunition industry in the case and successfully fought to protect the rights of hunters and target shooters to use the ammunition of their choice. We expect CBD to continue their relentless, though futile, pursuit to ban traditional lead ammunition through further serial petitioning of the EPA and filing more lawsuits that do nothing but waste judicial resources and taxpayer dollars.

 

Federal Court Dismisses Challenge to California Gun Law

A California federal district court this week delivered a blow to a challenge that California's Unsafe Handgun Act (UHA) is unconstitutional. The court upheld the UHA as not infringing on California residents' Second Amendment rights and rebuffed the "equal protection challenge" brought by the Second Amendment Foundation and the Calguns Foundation. The UHA prohibits the manufacture, sale, gifting or lending of any handgun in California that does not meet four requirements — including the microstamping requirement NSSF is separately challenging in state court. The court ignored plaintiffs' argument that inherent in the right to keep and bear arms there must also be a corresponding ability to acquire them, concluding that more than 1,000 firearms currently are available. Plaintiffs immediately appealed this order to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for further review, and NSSF will be closely following their appeal.

 

NSSF, Orchid Advisors Co-Sponsor Compliance Conference

NSSF is joining Orchid Advisors in sponsoring the annual Firearms Industry Compliance Conference, May 11-13 at the Marriott's Orlando World Center Resort. The 2015 conference brings together firearm manufacturers, importers, exporters, distributors, dealers and regulators such as the DOJ and ATF to answer the question, "How can I optimize compliance?" Larry Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel explains, "NSSF is pleased to join with Orchid Advisors to co-sponsor this important and timely conference because it will offer the practical, operations-oriented solutions to our member base that we strive to provide." Register to attend.

Discounted registration is available to all NSSF members. Highlights from last year's event can be found on the Orchid Advisors website.

 

Project ChildSafe Reaches 1,000 Supporter Milestone

Project ChildSafe launched the "Own It? Respect It. Secure It." initiative eight months ago, encouraging companies and organizations to use their outreach to remind gun owners to securely store their firearms. Today, more than 1,000 companies and groups are using the "Own It? Respect It. Secure It." logo in their advertisements and videos and on websites and social media outlets. Their efforts are helping the industry reach millions of gun owners with a safety message designed to help deter firearms accidents, theft and misuse. "This milestone is more than a number — it's further testimony to the commitment on the part of the firearms industry, individual gun owners and the sporting community to make gun safety and personal responsibility a priority," said NSSF President Steve Sanetti in an announcement issued this week.

 

Vermont Universal Background Check Bill Dead

In what has proven to be an intense two weeks in the State Capitol in Montpelier, where much of the focus has been on anti-gun legislation, it looks as if the main portion of SB 31 dealing with background checks on private parties is dead. Media accounts this week pointed to a tense committee hearing where Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said, "Quite frankly, it's dead," effectively putting an end to universal background checks in Vermont this year. Legislators can now focus their time and efforts on important economic issues facing all Vermonters. SB 31 would have imposed restrictions on the private transfer of firearms and expose federally licensed retailers to liability. Vermont remains one of the safest states in the country, which led Gov. Peter Shumlin to repeatedly say that the state's current laws are sufficient and voice opposition to universal background checks.

 

Indiana Senate Passes Bill to Encourage Industry Jobs

The Indiana State Senate this week passed Senate Bill 98, a bill that sponsor Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, says would encourage job creation in the Hoosier State for the firearms industry. Unfortunately, the legislation is not without controversy, given a long-dormant and meritless lawsuit filed by the City of Gary against the industry. Read the Indianapolis Star news account.

 

HSUS Gets the Boot from CPAC

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), run by the American Conservative Union (ACU), is now under way in Washington, D.C. This is the place to be every year for individuals and organizations interested in advocacy for conservative causes and electing more conservatives to office. So the presence there of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) as an exhibitor with its long-term anti-hunting agenda made little sense — except for the fact that HSUS tries, less and less successfully, to hide its true political nature under the guise of being a funder of local animal shelters. In fact, this group sends next to nothing to local shelters. So when the watchdog group Humane Watch pointed this out to CPAC management, supported by the weight of the firearms industry in the form of NSSF, action was taken and HSUS was shown the door. NSSF frequently faces off against HSUS on issues from traditional ammunition bans to bear hunting practices. NSSF is happy to have played a role in helping see that HSUS got the heave-ho from CPAC. Separately, we are quite happy to have provided sponsorship support to CPAC.

 

Thank You to Our Latest NSSF PAC Contributors

President's Club ($5,000): J.B. Hodgdon
Cabinet Club ($2,500 or more): Thomas Shepherd
Capitol Club ($1,000 or more): Robert Marcus
Caucus Club ($500 or more): No new contributors to report
Congressional Club ($250 or more): Bill Kempffer
Industry Club (up to $249): Michael McAleenan, Jesse Poole, Darrel Spicer, Laura Springer, Nicholas Verna, Jon Walgren and Seth Waugh

 

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