Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1995 08:24:41 -0600 (CST) From: Brad Alpert To: firearms-alert@shell.portal.com Subject: New Pratt Alert from PRN Latest alert from Larry. Posted 02-07-95 on PRN/CENTRAL (816) 597-3950 BBS: Paul Revere Network/Central Date: 02-06-95 (08:52) Number: 742 From: LARRY PRATT Refer#: NONE To: ALL Recvd: NO Subj: GOA Alert: Need More Heat Conf: (1) PR_NETWORK --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keep the Calls and Faxes Going We're gaining ground but leadership is poised to start fighting back -- Part II by Gun Owners of America (Monday, February 6) -- Good news! Your phone calls are helping us get key supporters in the House. The momentum to add the gun ban repeal as an amendment to one of the crime bills is gaining. It is a good thing that you guys are pushing for the vote now. A House staffer told GOA on Friday that the Republican leadership has already pushed the gun hearings back from March to May. This means that a vote on a stand-alone gun bill would come even later than that. Imagine, the crime bill provisions are not even passed yet, and they're already pushing our agenda back to an even later date! (Note: the stand-alone gun bill would also contain a mandatory minimums provision.) The House staffer also told us that the leadership is having "problems with the scheduling" and they "really don't know" when things are going to come up. (Again, this means our stand-alone gun bill could come up even later. The Democrats are really slowing things down.) Further complicating matters, a Senate staffer told GOA that after polling the entire Senate, he has discovered there are clearly not enough votes to pass a stand-alone ban repeal. This Senate spokesperson told us that it is imperative that we get the repeal measure attached to the crime bill now. If we keep our eggs in just one basket -- the stand-alone bill -- then we're sunk. We must pursue several courses of action. We'll push for hearings and a stand-alone bill. But right now, we cannot bypass this opportunity to put the repeal language in one of the crime bills. And that is why we need another round of calls. Some pro-gun Congressmen are on the fence. Others are with us right now, but are going to come under intense pressure from the leadership. They need to hear from you! Rep. Bill McCollum said on Thursday that the leadership will oppose any effort to attach the repeal to the crime bill. Folks, we have our work cut out for us. They need to know that standing up for the Bill of Rights and the Second Amendment is more important than following the leadership! HERE'S WHAT TO DO: * Call your Representative again (202-225-3121), and this time, ask to talk to a different person. (This will multiply your efforts.) For example, ask to talk to the staffer who handles the gun issue. If you have already talked to him, ask to talk to the Administrative Assistant or the Congressman himself (although it will obviously be quite difficult to get him). If you can't speak with any of them, make sure you ask for a call back -- but tell the secretary that you're calling to urge the Congressman to support Rep. Steve Stockman's effort to repeal the gun ban as an amendment to one of the crime bills. This means you expect your Congressman not only to vote for the amendment, but to also oppose any rule that would prevent it from being considered on the floor and to support any vote that would declare the amendment as germane. * Call two members of the Rules Committee. Call Chairman Gerald Solomon and another member of the Rules Committee (the one that is closest to you geographically.) Urge them to vote for a rule that will allow Rep. Steve Stockman to offer, on the floor of the House, his repeal provision as an amendment to one of the crime bills. Rules Committee: All numbers begin with "202" Representative Phone Fax Solomon, Chrmn. 225-5614 225-6234 Diaz-Balart (R-FL) 225-4211 225-8576 Dreier (R-CA) 225-2305 225-7018 Goss (R-FL) 225-2536 225-6820 Linder (R-GA) 225-4272 225-4696 McInnis (R-CO) 225-4761 226-0622 Pryce (R-OH) 225-2015 226-0986 Quillen (R-TN) 225-6356 225-7812 Waldholtz (R-UT) 225-3011 225-3491 Beilenson (D-CA) 225-5911 225-0092 Frost (D-TX) 225-3605 225-4951 Hall (D-OH) 225-6465 225-6766 Moakley (D-MA) 225-8273 225-3984 * Note: Your calls are definitely worth the effort. We have to let them feel the discomfort of our persistent phone calls. If the leadership can get away with putting us off (and not feel any reprisals), then they'll be like a child that is never punished. They'll keep doing it again, as long as they think they can get away with it. If you're mad and upset with how the leadership is handling our repeal agenda, contact Speaker Newt Gingrich at one of the following numbers: regular office: 202-225-4501, leadership office: 202-225-0600, fax: 202-225-4656. * Please distribute this alert to phone/fax trees, friends, family, talk show hosts, gun shows, etc. More Talking Points and Answers to Common Objections 1. Objection: The gun ban is too controversial and is not in the Contract With America. Let's put this off until after the first 100 days. Answer: The gun ban should be considered a part of the Contract since the crime bill is a part of the Contract. Last year, the gun ban was given to us as part of the crime bill, and it would be very legitimate to repeal it as part of the Contract -- especially when a popular crime bill might help squeak the repeal through. Furthermore, if it was not for the help of the gun rights community, there would not be a Republican majority or a Contract to be pushing. They need to "dance with the ones who brung 'em," and not push us into the corner. 2. Objection: The gun rights crowd will get their vote in 90 days. Let's wait until we have hearings so that we can really define the issue and change public opinion. Answer: The vote in 90 days (if it really happens that soon) will be on a stand-alone bill that has little chance in the Senate and no chance when it gets to the President's desk. That's why we need to pursue the repeal as an amendment to the crime bill in addition to pushing a stand-alone bill. Second, the hearings are good and they will help keep the momentum for the fight in the Senate. But if we bypass the opportunity now, it may be next year until the Senate considers the stand-alone bill -- if at all. The momentum of the March (or now May) hearings will have been lost. But if we pass the repeal now as part of the crime bill, then the Senate could be dealing with the crime bill at a time when the House will be holding its gun hearings. That could help bolster the resolve of Senators to leave the repeal amendment in the crime bill. This alert was posted by Gun Owners of America, 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151, ph: (703)-321-8585, fax: 321-8408. We are still unable to respond to e-mail.