NRA-ILA FAX ALERT 11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA 22030 Vol. 4, No. 39 * Phone: 1-800-392-8683 * Fax: 703-267-3918 * GROOTS@NRA.org 9/26/97 GOVERNOR WILSON VETOES GUN BAN IN CALIFORNIA Rejecting the elitist contention that riches determine rights,Governor Pete Wilson today vetoed legislation that would have banned outright affordable self-defense handguns and could have led to a ban on all handguns. The Governor's veto came after months of intense lobbying by NRA-ILA and a coalition of other groups concerned about the rights of law-abiding Californians, including the California Rifle & Pistol Association, the Peace Officers Research Association, and the Law Enforcement Alliance of America. The measure, sponsored by State Senator Richard Polanco (D-22), would have required that all handguns, prior to manufacture or sale in California, undergo safety testing by a state approved laboratory. As no labs currently exist to perform this testing, and no funding was provided in the bill for the labs to be established, this proposal had the very real potential to ban ALL handguns. "We congratulate the Governor for a decision that is both safe and smart," said Tanya Metaksa, NRA-ILA Executive Director. In recent days, the governor's staff had expressed Wilson's concern about limiting the access of lower income citizens to affordable personal protection, and tonight's veto is an unmistakable signal to freedom's opponents that the fundamental right to self-defense belongs to all Californians. U.N. PANEL RECOMMENDS STUDYING GUN LICENSING A few gun owners questioned the need to get involved in the international arena when it was first reported that NRA-ILA made the decision to apply for non-governmental organization status with the United Nations last year. Well, just this week, it became clear that our gun rights are definitely under attack at the world governing body, illustrating the need for NRA-ILA's active participation in protecting freedom at the U.N. The Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms, a 16-nation panel, recommended that the U.N. convene a global conference on what is being called "small arms trafficking." In the hope of reducing what the panel describes as the "excessive accumulation of guns" in the world, the report recommended that the U.N.: a) support the destruction of small arms left over once conflicts are settled, b) study the feasibility of high-tech "marking" of firearms from the time of manufacture, for the purpose of tracing, and c) study the possibility of restricting the production and trade of small arms to manufacturers and dealers and establish a global database of licenses. While the United Nations alone cannot dictate American laws and policy without Congressional consent (the U.S. Senate must pass all international treaties by a two-thirds vote), this panel's recommendations provide an alarming example of what international gun control bureaucrats at the U.N. want to pursue. In apparent support of the panel's directives, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, "This report recommends a set of practical measures to reduce the weapons already in circulation and to prevent future accumulations." Be sure to look for future reports from NRA-ILA as we continue to monitor this serious matter. CAMPAIGN REFORM PROPOSAL IS REALLY SPEECH REFORM Now is the time to make sure your elected officials know of the many campaign finance reform bills currently circulating on Capitol Hill that restrict the ability of grassroots membership organizations like NRA from effectively communicating with our members and with lawmakers. Specifically, S.25, the McCain-Feingold bill, prohibits "express advocacy" during a period of time prior to an election, and also gives near-limitless authority to presidentially-appointed bureaucrats at the Federal Election Commission to regulate communication between NRA and its members. Debate is expected next week, so call both your U.S. Senators and your Representative at 202/224-3121, and urge them to oppose any campaign finance reform bill that restricts free speech and limits your ability to work with NRA when lobbying your elected representatives. A LOOK AT THE STATES ALABAMA: Wayne LaPierre, NRA's Executive Vice President, will be delivering a speech at Auburn University, Thursday, October 2, at 6:00 p.m. All area NRA members are invited to attend this free event! Location: AU's Hayley Center, at the corner of Thatch and Duncan Streets. For more information, call Auburn College Republican President, Lorie Johnson, at (334) 887-2263. PENNSYLVANIA: Come meet NRA-ILA Executive Director Tanya K. Metaksa and get your autographed copy of SAFE, not Sorry, in Chadds Ford, Friday, October 17th. Mrs. Metaksa will be appearing at Targetmaster, 255 Route 202 North, Chadds Ford, at 6:00 p.m. OREGON: On Saturday, September 27, the Oregon State Shooting Association and the Albany Rifle & Pistol Club will hold a "Second Amendment Summit" at the Linn County Fairgrounds in Albany from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. State Sen. Shirley Stull (R-Salem/Keizer), chair of the Senate Crime & Corrections Committee and one of our strongest supporters in the Legislature, will join local leaders to brief you on critical issues gun owners faced during the 1997 session and to discuss what challenges and threats lie ahead. Those attending the summit may attend the Albany Rifle & Pistol Club's gun show (being held Saturday & Sunday at the fairgrounds) free of charge. For more information on the summit, please call Tim Pitzer at (541) 928-2460. WASHINGTON: Come meet Tanya Metaksa and join the fight to defeat anti-freedom initiative 676. Be sure to attend one the FREE seminars listed to find out how you can help defeat I-676. Meetings are planned for October 3, in Bellingham; October 4, in Everett; and October 5, in Bellevue. For meeting locations, please call the Grassroots Division. [END] =+=+=+=+ This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA. This and other information on the Second Amendment and the NRA is available at: http://WWW.NRA.Org