In Washington, D.C., most attention remains on the U.S. Senate and negotiations among senators on President Joe Biden’s “reconciliation” package. However the U.S. Senate released its remaining nine of 12 Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Bills and they including measures to fund firearm industry priorities, including ensuring that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has the proper funding to function as Congress intended and that firearm retailers can rely on an effective system, as well as provide for increased funding on top of what was previously included in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies bill that was reported out of committee in August to combat Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). As Congressional negotiators haggle over budget reconciliation, infrastructure and funding appropriations, industry eyes are watching for final approval on these key priorities and others.In the states, Texas’s enactment of the industry’s firearm industry nondiscrimination legislation (FIND Act) law reverberating far and wide. Texas led the way, but now Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is calling out JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon about his bank’s policies in the Sportsman’s Paradise and state Rep. Scott Wiggam has introduced and is leading the way on FIND Act legislation in Ohio. There are other states pursuing similar legislation as well as they approach the start of the 2022 legislative sessions.
Here’s the October round-up of what NASGW members should keep on their radar:
Around the States
Arizona
NSSF recognized Arizona Republican state Rep. Quang Nguyen as the 2021 NSSF Arizona State Legislator of the Year for his determined commitment to protect the firearm industry against frivolous lawsuits, recognizing the firearm industry as “essential” during state emergencies and preserving America’s Constitutional Second Amendment rights. NSSF’s Larry Keane praised Rep. Nguyen, saying, “His efforts to end frivolous lawsuits against firearm businesses, define the firearm industry as essential during state emergencies and passing a resolution urging the U.S. Senate to reject the nomination of David Chipman as the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have shown Representative Nguyen to be an invaluable partner to the firearm and ammunition industry in Arizona.”
California
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom survived a recall election scare last month and he’s quickly signed legislation targeting law-abiding citizens and their Second Amendment rights, while doing nothing to address violent crime. Gov. Newsom signed into law SB 264 banning firearm sales on Costa Mesa’s Orange County fairgrounds. Implementing the ban eliminates popular gun shows in the county that have brought in $7 million since 1995. The bill’s chief sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Dave Min was disappointed his bill was amended to only include gun shows in Orange County while he originally intended to outright ban them all throughout the state. “The state should not be profiting off of what is essentially blood money,” he said. “I think that’s an important moral line to draw in the sand right now.”
Georgia
Atlanta city council has gun control in mind and wants to implement mandatory firearm storage policies and fines on gun owners. Atlanta City Councilman Michael Julian Bond said of the policy, “This isn’t about trying to control or take away anyone’s gun rights. We’re just asking people who are exercising that right, understand and will be on board with assuming the total weight of responsibility.” Enforcing mandatory storage laws and stiff penalties isn’t the same as “asking.” Luckily for gun owners, Georgia has strong preemption laws in place so that cities or smaller municipalities cannot implement stronger firearm policies than the state does. NSSF supports gun owners using safe and secure storage methods for their firearms that work best for their individual home situations
Illinois
The Illinois Supreme Court struck down two tax ordinances imposed by Cook County on the retail purchase of firearms and firearm ammunition. The case, Guns Save Life Inc., et al. v. Zahra Ali, et al., was appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court after lower courts upheld the taxes against challenges based on the Second Amendment, the Illinois Constitution and state preemption. The court found that the tax ordinances at issue “impose a burden on the exercise of a fundamental right protected by the second amendment.” Illinois Supreme Court Justice Michael J. Burke’s concurrence correctly noted that the majority’s analysis was flawed as it ignored a grave problem with the County’s proposed tax, stating, “the majority’s analysis wrongly leaves the door open for a municipality to enact a future tax on firearms or ammunition that is more narrowly tailored to the purpose of ameliorating the cost of gun violence. The only problem with that approach is that it would still violate the Illinois Constitution.”
Louisiana
Louisiana is known as the Sportsman’s Paradise for good reasons. Taxpaying outdoorsmen and women won’t tolerate Second Amendment shenanigans there and Attorney General Jeff Landry is putting a major national bank on notice. After his eyebrow-raising Congressional testimony in May during which he showed his bank’s antigun cards, JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon received a letter from AG Landry and he didn’t hold any punches, stating, “I do not believe the state of Louisiana is best served by doing business with companies that attempt to profit from the State while denying its citizens the ability to exercise their constitutional rights.” JP Morgan has been implementing backdoor gun control policies and it cost them $3.3 billion in bond underwriting in Texas. Now AG Landry is running the same play in Louisiana and seeking to put an end to the bank profiting from Louisiana taxpayers while also restricting their Second Amendment rights.
Maryland
The U.S. District Court for Maryland ruled that Maryland’s requirement for citizens to obtain a handgun qualification license prior to purchasing, renting or receiving a handgun is Constitutional. Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License requires applicants to submit fingerprints, undergo a background check and complete required training that includes materials on state law, firearm safety and live fire on a range. Maryland charges $50 for the permit, not including the required training. Judge Elllen L. Hollander dismissed a challenge against the law in Maryland Shall Issue v. Hogan. Judge Hollander wrote in her decision, “The fingerprinting and training requirements are reasonably adapted to serve the State’s overwhelming interest in protecting public safety. Moreover, the time and expense associated with the requirements are reasonable.”
New York
New York’s 2021 budget allowed counties to lower the youth hunting minimum age to 12 and become more in line with the rest of the country. All but one county adopted the lowered age as Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz overruled his county legislature and vetoed the proposal. His reasoning has New York hunters and supporters scratching their heads. The age restriction meant a lost opportunity by denying New Yorkers the ability to begin learning meaningful family hunting traditions as well as lost revenue for the state from hunting license sales and firearms, ammunition and hunter safety registration purchases. The New York state Hunting Related Shooting Incidence data shows just how misguided County Executive Poloncarz is.
Ohio
Ohio state Rep. Scott Wiggam is aiming to replicate the success of a new Texas law by introducing House Bill 297 in Columbus, legislation that would deny corporations the ability to benefit from taxpayer-funded state or municipal contracts while at the same time holding policies that discriminate against firearm-related businesses. It is a bill similar to one recently signed into law in Texas. In an op-ed in the Columbus Dispatch, Rep. Wiggam gave credit to Lone Star State legislators, saying, “Ohio can stand up to these bank bullies. Our lawmakers already have a blueprint to do it too.” He continued, “It is wrong that taxpayer dollars help to fund those working against their rights. It is time for Ohio to take a stand.”
Also in Ohio, Senate Bill 185, passed out of the state Senate in a 23-7 vote along partisan lines. All Republicans voted in favor of its passage. The bill would prohibit future emergency orders that restrict the Ohio firearm industry and Second Amendment rights of Ohioans. It would also protect hunting, fishing and trapping rights during emergencies. The firearm industry believes these rights are essential and it’s time for Ohio law to reflect that. A companion bill, House Bill 325, is currently before the House Government Oversight committee. NSSF thanks Ohio Republican state Sen. Tim Schaffer for introducing this important legislation and the other 22 state senators who supported the bill.
Lasty in the Buckeye State, the Cincinnati City Council took an antigun gamble and lost. Now the city’s taxpayers are ponying up to make good on the mistake. In 2018, the city council moved to ban bump stock devices from within city limits even though Ohio state law expressly prohibits such an action. The Buckeye Firearms Foundation sued after the ban was passed and in March the Ohio Supreme Court ruled in favor of BFF and struck down the ban. The City of Cincinnati has agreed to pay the Buckeye Firearms Foundation $235,218 to cover the group’s legal fees, meaning the taxpayers are on the hook. Dean Rieck, Executive Director of Buckeye Firearms Association, praised the court’s decision, saying, “Preemption is important. Cincinnati thumbed its nose at Ohio citizens and enacted a law to regulate gun components, which state law expressly forbids them from doing. They knew the ordinance was illegal and decided to spend taxpayer dollars to do it anyway.”
Oklahoma
Oklahoma legislators recently held a hearing to figure out what they might do to bring gun-related businesses to the Sooner State. They want gun and ammunition companies to know that they’re open for business and are looking for ways to make rolling out a welcome mat look even more attractive. That’s why Republican state Rep. Kevin West and the House Business and Commerce Committee held an interim study. “Oklahoma has a lot to offer firearms and ammunition manufacturers looking for a place to move, expand or start up,” Rep. West said in a press statement. “We need to develop a coordinated and targeted plan to attract these businesses to Oklahoma.”
Oregon
Oregon passed strict gun control laws earlier this year and portions of the laws are now in effect, namely a requirement to lock up and store firearms in the home while not in use. Violators face stiff penalties. According to the new law, firearms in a home must be secured by a key or combination lock, trigger lock or placed in a gun safe that is inaccessible to minors or people prohibited from possessing a firearm. Additionally, retailers are required to post signage telling customers of the storage law. Failing to secure a firearm could result in a $500 fine, or even $2,000 if a minor possesses the firearm. NSSF supports firearm owners voluntarily using safe storage mechanisms that work best for their individual needs within the home.
Pennsylvania
A federal judge ruled in favor of the owner of the Greater Pittsburgh Gun Club, issuing a preliminary injunction against Robinson Township, according to The Reload. The order prohibits the Pittsburgh-area township from enforcing its restrictive zoning ordinance banning the use of center-fire rifles and requiring non-profit status for all gun clubs to operate in the area. “Although the courts owe ‘substantial deference’ to local zoning decisions, restrictions on rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment must still satisfy intermediate scrutiny,” U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn J. Horan wrote in the decision. “At this stage and for purposes of the Motion for Preliminary Injunction, the Township has not provided evidence that the challenged Ordinance provisions…in fact serve the asserted government interests of health, safety, and welfare.” The decision follows an earlier ruling by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals overturning a dismissal of the case. It directed the lower court to examine the Second Amendment claims of the gun club owner under heightened scrutiny.
Virginia
The gubernatorial and statewide elections in Virginia are days away and Old Dominion voters know how high the stakes are at the ballot box. At the top of the ticket, Democrat Terry McAuliffe has declared the criminal misuse of firearms to be a “public health” issue and he supports a sweeping gun control agenda. This includes banning the most popular semiautomatic rifles in America, such as the AR-15, and standard ammunition magazines with a capacity greater than ten rounds, as well as restricting Right to Carry by banning concealed carry in “public spaces” and creating a confusing patchwork of carry restrictions by giving local governments “broader authority” to restrict both open and concealed carry. Click here to see how you can do your civic duty and no matter how you choose to vote, be sure to stand up for your gun rights and #GUNVOTE®!
Also in the Old Dominion, Virginia’s Dominion Energy’s political action committee contributed $200,000 to a shadowy group called Accountability Virginia PAC, which in turn has been running pro-gun ads on social media platforms in heavy Second Amendment-supportive areas of Virginia criticizing Republican governor nominee Glenn Youngkin for not being stronger on gun rights. The move is a backdoor way to suppress #GUNVOTE® voters and aid Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe, who is a gun control proponent. The six-figure mistake even led to Dominion CEO Bob Blue emailing Dominion employees and apologizing for the donation, saying they failed to properly vet the PAC and that they were requesting their money back. “This weekend we were reminded that going above and beyond in transparency is necessary but not sufficient. Based on our own disclosures, two news stories highlighted activities of the Accountability Virginia PAC that we would not approve or knowingly support,” Blue wrote.
The Reload’s Stephen Gutowski also unearthed a 2019 symposium in which McAuliffe called gun shows the “worst thing we have” and expounded on the fact that the gun shows are packed with vendors. Those same gun shows are routinely still packed with customers today. McAuliffe also explained that with a 2016 deal with Virginia Republicans to expand concealed carry permit recognition with more states that included stationing Virginia State Police at gun shows to provide voluntary background checks, he was actually hoping to ensnare private gun sellers. “But I’m thinking, someone goes, buys a gun, commits a mass torturous act, you had the ability to get a background check, but you didn’t get one… might be a legal theory we could use down the road on a tort claim. I was just trying to think.”
Wisconsin
Americans have been on a blistering pace of buying firearms over the past 18 months and the success Henry Repeating Arms has seen is leading the legacy firearm manufacture to expand its facility in Wisconsin in a big way – 84,000 square feet big in fact. Henry announced it’s expanding its footprint in Ladysmith in Rusk County by building a new facility that will employ more than 100 people. That’s in addition to the existing 140,000 square foot facility in nearby Rice Lake. The expansion will be completed within three years, according to a release. “Staking our flag at a new facility is the beginning of another exciting chapter in our company’s history, and we are wasting no time prepping the building for our machines,” said Henry Repeating Arms President Andy Wickstrom.
Also in the Badger State, Wisconsin Senate Bill 570 and Assembly Bill 572 were introduced by Republican state Sen. Julian Bradley and Republican state Rep. Gae Magnafici. These bills would bring Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) type protections to the Wisconsin firearm industry at the state level. They would ensure that Wisconsin firearm industry members cannot be held liable when lawfully-made and sold products are unlawfully misused by a third party. This has become a priority for the firearm industry as the Biden administration has continued to call for the repeal of the PLCAA. NSSF members in Wisconsin are strongly encouraged to contact Chris Lee at clee@nssf.org for more information.
Federal Happenings
Dick Heller Challenging D.C.’s 'Ghost Gun' Ban
The man behind arguably the most consequential gun rights ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court is back. Dick Heller was the plaintiff in the landmark District of Columbia v. Heller case that struck down Washington, D.C.’s, mandatory home firearm storage law and affirmed an individual right to possess firearms independent of service in a state militia and to use firearms for traditionally lawful purposes. Now Heller is suing the District again for its law banning home-built firearms, commonly referred to as “ghost guns.” Heller’s case states D.C.’s law is overly broad and challenges the D.C. law stating, “No person or organization shall manufacture any firearm, destructive device or parts thereof, or ammunition, within the District.” NSSF’s Mark Oliva told The Washington Post, “For a law-abiding citizen to make a firearm has always been legal. But D.C.'s never been shy about trying to infringe on Second Amendment rights.” Oliva added laws already exist that prohibit felons, domestic violence offenders and others from owning guns, and that those should suffice whether a gun is mass-produced or homemade.
Gun Control Campaigning to End Senate Filibuster
Brady United gun control launched a digital campaign to end the U.S. Senate’s filibuster rule. The digital spot is titled, “The Filibuster is Killing Us.” Brady is spending $40,000 to get gun control supporters to pressure senators to nuke the rule that requires the upper chamber to find consensus with 60 votes on bills and prevents whipsaw legislation from passing through as a simple majority, as in the U.S. House of Representatives. President George Washington is said to have explained to Thomas Jefferson that the Senate was the cooling saucer to the House’s hot tea. The filibuster requires cooler heads to prevail. Brady doesn’t want that because it’s stopping their gun control visions from becoming reality. They disparaged the rule as a racist Jim Crow-era leftover, ignoring that both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have previously supported and defended the filibuster rule.
Dual Dem. Bills Mandate Strict Gun Store ‘Security’ Requirements
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) introduced legislation to put onerous and possibly unending security requirements on firearm retailers, most of which are small businesses. The two introduced companion legislation, S. 2908 and H.R. 5465, called the Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective or SECURE Firearm Storage Act, to make operating a federally licensed firearm retail business more costly and require burdensome mandates. The legislation mandates how firearms must be stored during non-business hours and would stipulate electronic and surveillance requirements along with physical barriers. The legislation would allow the U.S. Attorney General to redefine requirements at will. NSSF’s Mark Oliva explained that the legislation doesn’t address crime, telling Guns.com, “These are proposed mandatory costs for layered security that can be redefined at the will of the U.S. Attorney General without limit and would be unaffordable. This legislation doesn’t speak to any approach to holding the criminals that target these businesses accountable for their crime.”
Bill Drafted to Regulate Bump Stocks That Are Already Banned
U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) again introduced legislation to ban bump stocks, H.R. 5427, called the Closing The Bump Stock Loophole Act. She conflates terminology and falsely states the firearm accessory isn’t already regulated, even though FactCheck.org rebuffs gun control advocates when they repeat the claim. President Donald Trump banned bump stocks in March 2019. Rep. Titus continues to carry water for Brady United, Giffords and other gun control groups, falsely claiming, “Machine guns have been illegal in the U.S. for decades. Yet bump stocks have allowed gun manufacturers to circumnavigate the law to produce fully automatic weapons like the ones used on 1 October.” The legislation would attempt to regulate bump stocks, which is a firearm accessory, as a firearm under the National Firearm Act.
Calif. Rep. Wants Gun Packaging to Bear Suicide Warnings
U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) introduced H.R. 5346, the Gun Suicide Prevention Act, that would mandate firearm manufacturers to label gun packaging with suicide warnings that include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The bill requires stark warnings to be attached to the firearm or firearm packaging, written both in English and Spanish. NSSF has spearheaded the partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Veterans Affairs Department to provide information and resources to gun ranges and retailers to have a brave conversation before a moment of crisis. The mandatory warning label legislation has zero cosponsors.
Sen. Crapo Op-Ed Protecting Idahoans Second Amendment Rights
U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) is highlighting his efforts to strengthen Idahoans’ rights to keep and bear arms. In an op-ed, Sen. Crapo writes, “As gun control advocates continue to seek creative methods of advancing their agenda, both through legislation and litigation, and the Administration has taken steps to target law-abiding gun owners instead of cracking down on perpetrators of rising crime across the country, I continue to oppose all efforts to weaken Second Amendment rights.” The third-term Republican lists his efforts to reclassify suppressors to regulate them like a regular firearm by reintroducing the Hearing Protection Act, fighting against the Biden administration’s attacks on pistol braces, as well as supporting the Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act and the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, among other important Second Amendment bills.
Rep. Hartzler Urges Pres. Biden Clarify Arms Trade Treaty Stance
U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), along with more than 100 of her Congressional colleagues, sent a letter telling President Joe Biden he better reconsider rejoining the United National Arms Trade Treaty. Former Secretary of State John Kerry signed the ATT in 2013, but it was never ratified by the U.S. Senate. United States Deputy Director for Conventional Arms Threat Reduction William Malzahn recently spoke at the Seventh Conference of States Parties (COSP) to the ATT and stated the United States believes the ATT is “an important tool” for promoting international controls on conventional arms. Rep. Hartzler had strong words for President Biden, writing, “We find this statement to be most concerning.” Rep. Hartzler continued, “Under any circumstance, it is inconceivable that the United States would consider subjecting our constitutional rights to bear arms to international oversight and interference.” The letter garnered 113 cosigners, more than half of all House Republicans.
NSSF Member Spotlight: Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.)
U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice’s (R-Okla.) husband introduced her to hunting and recreational shooting and she hasn’t stopped. Since the Congresswoman is constantly on the move for her constituents, she enjoys the predictability of heading to the range or a clay shoot to keep her aim on target. As for the biggest challenges she sees for hunters or recreational shooters, Rep. Bice says, “This administration and Democrat-controlled Congress would like to limit the sale of certain types of firearms – and has made no secrets of their desire to do so. Ensuring the constitutional protections provided under the Second Amendment are adhered to will be a challenge for some time.” Read her full NSSF Member Profile Q & A here.
Bill Intro’d to Require FFLs Provide Suicide Hotline Info
U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) introduced H.R. 5436, the Gun Suicide Prevention Act, to “address the prevalence of suicide by firearm,” and the legislation would require firearm manufacturers and firearm retailers to include labels that provide the number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Reducing the tragedy of suicide by firearm is a major priority of the firearm industry, and NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi has spoken often on the importance of having brave conversations with loved ones who may be experiencing difficult times. The legislation introduced by Rep. Brownley ties the tragedy of suicide to the “epidemic of gun violence,” even though millions of Americans have purchased firearms over the past 18 months as a means of self-protection. NSSF partners with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Department of Veterans Affairs on efforts to reduce firearm suicide. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255, or click here for more information.
U.S. Senate Releases Remaining FY22 Funding Bills
The U.S. Senate released its remaining nine of 12 Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Bills, including measures to fund the Departments of Justice, Commerce, State, and the Interior. NSSF’s priorities were included to ensure that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has the proper funding to function as Congress intended and that firearm retailers can rely on an effective system, as well as provide for increased funding on top of what was previously included in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies bill that was reported out of committee in August to combat Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). CWD, in addition to plaguing the deer population, is adversely impacting hunting license sales and wildlife conservation. NSSF will continue to monitor these measures as they advance through the legislative process. Upon their release, Senate Appropriations Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) renewed his call to enact all 12 appropriations bills by the expiration of the current funding resolution, which expires Dec. 3.
Dems Blink on IRS Bank Account Gun Control Snooping
NSSF previously reported on the Biden administration’s initial plans to fund a multitrillion-dollar spending plan that included having the IRS snoop into every American’s bank account to examine transactions that are $600 or greater. It was criticized for many reasons including as a potential way for the administration to track who is purchasing firearms. Now gun control Democrats in Congress have backtracked and increased the threshold after Americans and Second Amendment supporters made their collective voices heard. The revised legislation has a threshold of $10,000 in transactions. The provision is included in Congressional Democrats’ sweeping “reconciliation” package they are trying to pass as part of President Joe Biden's domestic agenda. They have tied the reconciliation package to a bloated infrastructure bill meaning there’s still a long road ahead before the IRS provision even becomes law.
Bipartisan Proposal Seeks to Combat CWD
A pair of conservation-supporting Congressmen from opposite sides of the political aisle have teamed up and introduced legislation to address the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD), which remains the top threat to the future of deer hunting. U.S. Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and GT Thompson (R-Pa.) introduced H.R. 5608, a funding bill that authorizes $35 million each to research and management efforts and requires 75 percent of the management funding be directed to state and tribal wildlife agencies. If enacted, the bill will lay the groundwork to provide additional resources to states and tribes to proactively address CWD outbreaks and to manage this fatal disease of deer, elk and moose. Whit Fosburgh, President and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, praised the CWD bill, saying, “The threat posed by CWD to deer hunting in America is difficult to overstate—for too long, funding woes, research questions, and ineffectual enforcement have resulted in a worsening status quo. The TRCP and our partners are grateful for the leadership of Reps. Kind and Thompson and look forward to working alongside both lawmakers to bring this critical legislation to passage.”
News from NSSF
SHOT Show Registration Open
Break out your walking shoes and don’t miss out – we’re ALL IN. The 2022 SHOT Show® is gearing up to be the largest in its four-plus-decade history! All of us at NSSF® and our show partners are ready to welcome our industry back together in Las Vegas in three short months. The 2022 SHOT Show will be held Jan. 18-21, at The Venetian Expo and the all-new Caesars Forum. Registration for the show is officially open, for both attendees and media. The support we have received for the upcoming show has been remarkable and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back in January for the biggest and best SHOT Show in history. Don’t hesitate or wait too long. Find all the details here in one place. We’ll see you in Las Vegas for SHOT Show 2022!
Industry Hosts ‘Don’t Lie’ Event in Miami with ATF, DOJ
NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi joined with members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida to promote the NSSF-led Don’t Lie for the Other Guy™ industry education initiative to reduce “straw purchases” of firearms. The Miami Don’t Lie event began a month-long campaign to educate and inform the public using billboards, radio and streaming audio messages, as well as targeted and geo-fenced social media advertisements. “The firearm industry has always been focused on keeping firearms out of the hands of those who should not possess them. We are proud of our more than two-decade cooperative relationship with the ATF, the DOJ and the entire law enforcement community to assist them in their collective efforts to reduce criminal acquisition and misuse of firearms,” said Bartozzi.
Pro-Shooter Chris Cheng Addresses Teen Suicide
Chris Cheng is a competitive professional shooter who outgunned the competition to win History Channel’s Top Shot championship. He’s also a member of two minority communities — an Asian-American and a member of the LGBTQ community. Cheng recognizes the difficult span the past 18 months have been for America’s teenagers. Each day, nearly 20 percent of America’s teens think about suicide, and Cheng used his experiences to draw increased attention to the tragedy of teen suicide and how parents can better watch for the warning signs. “Not only is youth suicide on the rise, but patterns widely recognized in the mental health community about who is most likely to attempt suicide (older white males) are changing,” Cheng writes. “The overlooked message is youth suicide is preventable, and parents have an important role to play.” Read Chris Cheng’s full op-ed, including what he describes as the two most important things parents can do to help reduce the instances of this preventable tragedy.
Gun Control Groups Co-Opting Emergency COVID Funds
Remember that American Rescue Plan signed by President Joe Biden that sent $1,400 checks to support those economically affected by the COVD-19 crisis? That was the plan pushed by The White House to provide direct relief to Americans, help contain the spread of COVID-19 and rescue the economy. Turns out, it is also being used to advance local gun control initiatives. The Biden administration is openly advocating using the funds to push a gun control agenda and gun control groups should use federal emergency funds to entrench gun control agendas instead of safeguarding communities from violence, pandemic infection and supporting businesses that were forced to be closed. Read Larry Keane’s blog on how gun control groups used the pandemic as an excuse to implement gun control using taxpayer emergency pandemic funds.
Mexico Isn’t Punishing Gun Crimes. Sues U.S. Manufacturers Instead
A Mexican think tank, México Evalúa, reported in Hallazgos2020 (“hallazgos” means “findings”) that 95 percent of crimes committed with a firearm go unpunished and 93 percent of similar cases are never reported to authorities. “It is a criminal justice system that does not respond to the demands of citizens because it has been left in distress. There is no political leadership to correct the deficiencies and allocate the resources that are required,” said Chrístel Rosales, a researcher for the organization’s justice program, as reported by Bearing Arms. That’s largely because Mexicans don’t trust their own justice system. Instead of fixing their own internal debacle, Mexican officials filed a lawsuit with the help of Brady United gun control group against U.S.-based firearm manufacturers attempting to hold them responsible for the rampant crime on their side of the border.
Gun Control Miami Police Chief Ousted
Art Acevedo, Miami’s top cop, is out of a job. Miami’s City Manager suspended the antigun police chief after just six months and the city commissioners voted to terminate his employment. The termination was the result of a series of clashes with city officials, including comparing the people overseeing the Miami Police Department as the “Cuban Mafia,” and accusing city commissioners of interfering with police investigations. Acevedo took the job after serving as Houston’s police chief, during which he made media appearances and testified on Capitol Hill advocating for strict gun control laws to be passed.
Off-Year Elections May be a Tell on Growing Second Amendment Support
The 2022 Congressional elections are 13 months away but history will say Republicans supportive of Second Amendment rights are likely to take back the U.S. House of Representatives and possibly U.S. Senate. Off-year 2021 elections in New Jersey and Virginia may give a sneak peek to how many Second Amendment-supporting voters turn out. In New Jersey, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is one of the staunchest gun control governors in the country and is trying to become the first Democratic incumbent to win a second term from Jersey voters in 44 years. Virginia’s former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe is re-auditioning for the role he held previously and is running his old gun control playbook.
Adaptive Shooting Summit Shows Competitive Spirit Has No Limit
Jared Gould is a man who enjoys shattering expectations and where others see an obstacle, Gould sees opportunity. That’s a bold statement for the competitive shooter who is also legally blind. Approximately 30 competitive shooters recently gathered at SIG Academy’s facility in Epping, N.H., for a two-day Adaptive Defensive Shooting Summit (ADSS) where participants took part in a full day of training with world-class instructors followed by a day of IDPA-style pistol competition. The ADSS is an accessible shooting event for people with disabilities of all skill levels and knowledge of firearms. “I love to shoot. I’ve always loved it, but I think the big thing is coming out with other individuals that have some disability, whether it’s vision – like I’m vision impaired – or mobility or whatever, and everyone’s rockin,’” Gould explained. “It doesn’t matter. Their disability doesn’t stop them. Coming out here motivates me.” Read more here.
HAVA’s 10th Annual Buffalo Butte Ranch Pheasant Hunt
The world class Buffalo Butte Ranch in Gregory, S.D., hosted nine Marines and one Navy Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman for the 10th annual two-day pheasant hunt. The event was sponsored by Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) and the group was a mix of active-duty and veteran soldiers. Reports from Outdoor Wire tell of a competitive group in great spirits who bagged a bunch of birds and vying for bragging rights. Ranks for the group varied from lance corporal to colonel and Heath Gunns, HAVA’s event coordinator and former Marine himself, was impressed by the tight-knit Marine community. Gunns said, “One of these Marines recently retired and invited the Marine who recruited him into the service so many years ago. I just don’t see that type of life-long connection in other career fields.”
First Bear Taken as Inaugural Hunting Season Begins in Missouri
Missouri bear hunters are excited to hit the woods as Missouri’s first black bear hunting season has begun. A southwestern Missouri hunter took the first bear. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that a 250-pound female was harvested on private land and a second bruin was harvested in nearby West Plains. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the state has an estimated black bear population of about 800, mostly south of the Missouri River. Hunters received permits in a lottery and the state set a quota of 40 bears.
Join the Gun Owners Care Campaign
With American gun owners increasingly the target of efforts to shame and cast aspersions simply for exercising their constitutional right to own a firearm, NSSF has launched the Gun Owners CareSM program. This initiative works to educate the public about the concern law-abiding gun owners have for their neighbors and communities. Members of the firearm-owning community deserve respect for being good, concerned citizens and proud defenders of a unique American heritage, and the Gun Owners Care initiative will emphasize those efforts and successes. We invite all industry members and firearm owners to join now and support this critical initiative.
Download NSSF’s Real Solutions, Safer Communities Toolkit
NSSF’s Real Solutions. Safer Communities.SM Industry Toolkit is available for members of the firearm industry for download. Industry members are encouraged to use the ready-made materials in the toolkit to share on their social media, websites and printed materials with customers, supporters, employees and stakeholders. NSSF’s Real Solutions campaign is a member-supported initiative that includes several firearm safety programs that have proven effective at reducing the criminal misuse of firearms and safeguarding firearms from prohibited individuals and those who should not possess them.