Senate Vote Is Good News For Gun Rights

Senate Vote Is Good News For Gun Rights
— GOA thanks activists for sending thousands of e-mails to the Senate prior
to vote

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Gun owners won an important vote in the U.S. Senate this week, when more
than three dozen senators stood with Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma
in his battle against Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

Reid fell eight votes short on Monday of stopping Coburn, who has been using
parliamentary maneuvers to keep anti-gun legislation (and pork) from coming
to the Senate floor for votes.

Sen. Coburn has placed a “hold” on more than 80 bills since
January of last
year — including the bill which recently extended the National Parks gun
ban to the Washington-Rochambeau trail.

Under the rules, one senator may block the progress of an objectionable bill
by issuing a “hold” — a maneuver which prevents a bill from
speedily moving
through the legislative process.

The frustrated dictator of the Senate (a.k.a. Reid) combined 36 of the bills
which have come under Coburn’s ire into a big omnibus bill and added all
kinds of pork to entice senators into supporting the measure. Nevertheless,
Reid still fell eight votes short of what was needed to defeat Coburn’s
holds.

GOA wants to thank all of you who took the time during the last week to urge
your senators to stand with Coburn!

VETERANS DISARMAMENT UPDATE

In other Senate news, Richard Burr’s bill to repeal large parts of the
Veterans Disarmament Act is gaining steam. The Republican senator from
North Carolina introduced the Veterans Protection Act (S. 3167) after
President Bush signed a gun ban into law this year — a law which, among
other things, disarms military veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD.
The Burr bill, which now has 18 cosponsors, would protect the rights of
military veterans and make it more difficult for the Veterans Affairs to
deny them their Second Amendment rights.

GOA members should have received their latest newsletter by now. This issue
contains a key update on the Veterans Protection Act in the House
(introduced by Rep. Virgil Goode) and answers frequently asked questions by
gun owners such as: what should I do when I’m denied by the Brady Check and
can I run a NICS check on myself?

If you’re not receiving the GOA newsletter, please go to
http://www.gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm to get your members-only
subscription today!

ACTION:

1. Continue asking your two senators to stand with Sen. Coburn in defying
the strong-arm tactics of Majority Leader Reid. Further to that, urge them
to cosponsor Coburn’s bill (S. 2807) repealing the gun ban in the National
Parks. You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Senators the pre-written
e-mail message below.

2. Make sure you check out the latest GOA newsletter and mail the enclosed
postcards in support of the Veterans Protection Act if you have not already
done so. Thank you!

—– Pre-written letter —–

Dear Senator:

I was very happy to hear that the Senate stood with Tom Coburn and refused
to vote for Harry Reid’s pork-laden omnibus bill on Monday, July 28.

I applaud Senator Coburn’s efforts to return our government to a
constitutional basis, and I hope that the Senate will act on his bill to
repeal the National Park Service gun ban (S. 2807).

Please stand with Sen. Coburn against the strong-arm tactics of Sen. Reid
and support the repeal of the NPS gun ban.

Sincerely,

Tags: Congress, Gun Control, News, Senate, Veterans