NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS VOLUME 22, NUMBER 6 Current National News

U201491 · Feb 14, 2015

NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS VOLUME 22, NUMBER 6

LEGAL & LEGISLATION GUN LAWS NEWS
BATFE To Ban Common AR-15 Ammo
In a move clearly intended by the Obama Administration to suppress the acquisition, ownership and use of AR-15s and other .223 caliber general purpose rifles, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives unexpectedly announced today that it intends to ban commonplace M855 ball ammunition as "armor piercing ammunition." The decision continues Obama's use of his executive authority to impose gun control restrictions and bypass Congress.

LEGAL & LEGISLATION
NRA Backs Constitutional Concealed Carry Bill
On behalf of its five-million members, the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) has announced its support for S. 498--The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2015--which was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). The legislation would respect the rights of individuals who possess concealed carry permits from their home state or who are not prohibited from carrying concealed in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state that does not prohibit concealed carry.

LEGAL & LEGISLATION NEWS
Remaining Anti-Gunners in U.S. Senate Renew Push for Gun Control
Anti-gun U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.), have introduced their Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act (S. 407 and H.R. 752, respectively), in yet another attempt to ban magazines that accept more than 10 rounds. Similar legislation has been introduced in previous Congresses, and has repeatedly failed since the expiration of the Clinton "large" magazine ban in 2004.

NEWS
Legislation Introduced to Break Administrative Choke Hold on Firearm and Ammunition Vendors
In January, we reported on encouraging news that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) had taken steps to reassure banks that they are not categorically prohibited nor discouraged from servicing customers in the firearms and ammunition industries. Of course, the very fact that this should be considered newsworthy demonstrates just how bad the politically-motivated abuses of federal banking regulators, including but not limited to FDIC and Department of Justice (DOJ), had become. The supposed "enforcement" program at the center of this scandal, Operation Choke Point (OPC), has been the subject of considerable congressional attention. Recently, bills were introduced that seek to put a definitive end to the administration's squeeze of what it considers "immoral" businesses operating within the law.

LEGAL & LEGISLATION
Federal Court Holds Ban on Interstate Transfer of Handguns Unconstitutional
On Wednesday, Judge Reed O'Conner of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued an opinion and order in Mance v. Holder, holding provisions of federal law that generally prohibit the interstate sale of handguns to be unconstitutional. Subject to very limited exceptions, the challenged federal law prohibited a federally licensed firearms dealer from transferring a handgun, but not a rifle or shotgun, to any non-licensed individual who resided in a state other than the state where the dealer's business was located.

NEWS
Bloomberg's Comments Add to a Long Tradition of Racially-Charged Gun Control Rhetoric
Bankrolling ceaseless endeavors to dictate what Americans can eat and how they can defend themselves, all while exhibiting a devout support for the surveillance state, ex-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is widely recognized as the country's foremost paternalist. However, recent comments suggest that his efforts on this front incorporate a disturbing racial component.

NEWS LEGAL & LEGISLATION
Connecticut Commission Goes for Broke with Anti-Gun Recommendations
It's not a gun control supporter's entire wish list come true, but it's not too far from it. The commission tasked by Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy to help "bring about change" in the wake of the December 2012 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School has issued its final report and recommendations on gun control and other subjects ostensibly related to public safety. We noted a preliminary draft of the commission's report last month.

NEWS
Visit to Science Center Lead's NYC Gun Control Advocate to Call for Ban on Children's Book
We all know gun control advocates, however they portray themselves these days, really just want to ban guns. In places where they've been fairly successful at that, like New York and New Jersey, some gun grabbers are hoping to implement the next phase of their evil scheme: banning the mere idea of a gun.

NEWS
Boomerang! Handgun Ban Group Validates Right-to-Carry
Call the Violence Policy Center (VPC) something of an exception to the rule. Other anti-gun groups at least pretend to have abandoned their goal of banning only handguns by legislation or regulation, in favor of a campaign to turn the American people against the "gun" culture, "gun nuts," the "gun industry," having "guns" at home, the "gun" lobby, the mere mention of "guns" at school, and so on.

NEWS HUNTING
NRA Backs Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015
The National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) announced its support for The Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015, introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). This legislation seeks to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, shooting and fishing.

NEWS
Important "Ivory" Bill Introduced
U.S. Representative Don Young (R-Alaska-At Large) recently introduced H.R. 697, a bill that would prevent the Obama Administration from banning the U.S. sale and trade of legally owned ivory, as well as ensure that sport-hunted elephant trophies can be imported from countries with sustainable elephant populations.

HUNTING LEGAL & LEGISLATION
Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act Introduced
U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. Representative Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) recently introduced S. 263 and H.R. 578, which are designed to protect the rights of gun owners on lands owned or managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). This legislation would help end the patchwork of firearm laws and regulations that govern different federal lands managed by different federal agencies.
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