Subj: NRA-ILA FAX Alert Vol. 9, No. 25 6/21/02

Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2002 8:23:29 PM Eastern Standard Time

From: <info@nraila.org>

June 21, 2002

NRA-ILA FAX Alert Vol. 9, No. 25 6/21/02

1-800-392-8683

www.nraila.org

Please forward this information to your family, friends, and fellow gun owners!

Legislation that would provide for the arming of properly trained flight deck crew is gaining momentum in both chambers of Congress. These proposals - H.R. 4635 in the House and S. 2554 in the Senate - would mandate programs that would allow properly trained commercial airline pilots and other flight deck crew to have access to firearms as a last line of defense against terrorist hijackers. On Wednesday, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Aviation approved H.R. 4635 after it was amended. The bill now seeks to establish a two-year test program that will eventually allow for as many as 1,400 commercial airline pilots to have access to firearms aboard their aircrafts. While NRA would like to see this option extended to all properly trained flight deck crew, this legislation represents a good first step in the right direction.

While some anti-gun lawmakers still balk at the idea of arming pilots to defend against terrorist hijackers?preferring to rely on reinforced cockpit doors and the unthinkable, last-step "option" of U.S. military aircraft shooting down commercial airplanes, many lawmakers clearly understand why arming pilots is a good idea when dealing with the threat of terrorist hijackings. "If something were to happen, the last option is to shoot down an airplane," pointed out U.S. Representative John Thune (R-S.D.). "We want to avoid that at all costs." Arming pilots will best ensure we never see a repeat of September 11, and we don?t have to worry about the possibility of that "last option."

H.R. 4635 now has 52 co-sponsors, and is scheduled to be addressed next Wednesday, June 26, by the full House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. S. 2554, which extends the training program to all qualified flight deck crew, has 11 co-sponsors, and both bills also provide self-defense training for flight attendants. Please contact your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121 and your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121, and urge them to co-sponsor these bills. Those on the Internet can find additional contact information by using our "Write Your Reps" tool.

We still anticipate the gun control lobby that calls itself "Americans for Gun Safety" (AGS) along with U.S. Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), the group's foremost spokesman in the Senate?will try to force a vote in the Senate on its anti-gun show bill, S. 890, at any time between now and Independence Day. S. 890 is designed to run gun shows out of business through a variety of registration and licensing schemes?is clearly the first step toward the true goal of banning all legal private sales, including those between friends and family.

It is critical that you contact your U.S. Senators today and urge them to oppose S. 890 when it is brought up for consideration. You can reach your U.S. Senators by calling the U.S. Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Just ask for your Senators? offices, or give the operator your state. For additional contact information, use our "Write Your Reps" tool.

Utah will hold primary elections, and Alabama and South Carolina will hold some primary runoff elections, this Tuesday, June 25. NRA members in these states should have already received information on candidates endorsed by the NRA-Political Victory Fund for the primaries, so please be sure to go to the polls and support pro-gun candidates for office, and encourage your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners to do the same. NRA members in these states who have not received this information can call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683.

In preparation for the upcoming campaign season, NRA-ILA is hosting FREE Grassroots-Election Workshops in several areas across the country. Three Workshops will take place in California?in Sacramento on July 9, Fresno on July 11, and San Diego on July 13. Two more Workshops are scheduled for Kansas, with the first in Wichita on July 11, and the second in Overland Park on July 13. And in South Dakota, Workshops will be held in Rapid City on July 15, and in Pierre on July 17. At these Workshops, you will learn what you can do in your own community to ensure pro-gun candidates are elected to office this election season. NRA members who are interested in attending should contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683 for details and to reserve their spots. NRA members can also reserve their spots on-line.