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The McCarthy/Leahy Gun Control Bill of 2007

Latest News

12/20/2007 - McCarthy and NRA ambush gun owners, sneak Gun Control through Senate and House *BREAKING NEWS*

Full text of bill that passed

11/13/2007 - Beware Holiday Season Ambush!

10/10/2007 - New U.S. Senator opposing H.R. 2640, and a detailed rebuttal of the NRA's defense of gun control

10/5/2007 - NRA board member Nugent nukes gun control deal; Veteran's group's oppose H.R. 2640, too

10/1/2007 - Sen. Coburn stands heroically, while NRA's response fails to hit mark

9/26/2007 - NRA joins Democrats to push gun control

9/12/2007 - Dangerous gun control bill awaiting vote in U.S. Senate.

Analysis of H.R. 2640

Corey Graff, Executive Director of Wisconsin Gun Owners, has written an exhaustive analysis of The McCarthy/Leahy Gun Control Bill. Of this attempt to expand the unconstitutional NICS database, Graff says:

"An honest examination of this multifaceted issue reveals that an expansion of NICS buys into a dangerous false premise for all gun owners concerned about their liberty and is not sound policy or good politics for the Second Amendment community or anyone else. Here's why gun owners must not only oppose expanding the NICS background check system, they must fight to repeal it."

You would think that the National Rifle Association (NRA), self-styled defenders of the right to keep and bear arms would be leading the charge against H.R.2640, the McCarthy-Leahy Gun Control Bill.

You might think that, but you would be wrong.

Read what others are saying about the NRA's betrayal of gun owners and the history of H.R. 2640

The NRA is actively supporting gun control, through their support of H.R.2640. "H.R. 2640 is sound legislation...." -- National Rifle Association 06/15/07

Because of their support for gun control, the NRA has received accolades from the worst of anti-gun crusaders:

"When the NRA and I agree on legislation, you know that it's going to get through, become law and do some good." -- U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY)

"Through the years, we've had our differences with the National Rifle Association.... Today, we write in praise the NRA." -- The San Francisco Chronicle 06/15/07

"We're hopeful that now that the NRA has come around to our point of view in terms of strengthening the Brady background checks, that now we can take the next step after this bill passes [to impose additional gun control]." -- Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign on CNN 06/13/07

That's right, a representative of the most anti-gun organization in American is celebrating that the NRA has "come around" to their anti-gun, anti-constitution point of view.

Gun Owners of America have also outlined some of the unintended consequences of of the McCarthy/Schumer Gun Control Bill. Recently, a Pennsylvania man had his concealed weapons permit revoked and was judged mentally ill, making it illegal for him to posess firearms for the rest of his life, simply because he expressed an opinion that offended the sensibilities of a liberal, anti-gun District attorney. As GOA says:

The Pennsylvania case shows how all gun owners could be threatened by HR 2640.

After all, did you ever tell anyone that the Second Amendment was included in the Bill of Rights because the Founders (such as James Madison) wanted the people to be able to overturn a tyrannical American government?

Or, while you were watching the nightly news -- and getting a detailed account of all the crime in your area -- did you ever make a statement such as, "If someone were to break through my door, I'd blow him away!"

Well, those kinds of statements will certainly make anti-gun nuts think you're a potential danger to yourself or others. So if you make the local district attorney or police officer nervous, how difficult would it be for him to get a psychiatrist (most of whom are very left-wing) to say that you are a danger to yourself and to others?

Or, would the district attorney even need to get a psychiatrist? One of the outrageous aspects of the McCarthy bill is that Section 3(2) codifies existing federal regulations. And existing federal code says it only takes a "lawful authority" to "adjudicate" someone as a mental defective.(1) And another section of the bill makes it clear this "adjudication" does not need to be made by a formal court, but can simply be a "determination" -- such as a medical diagnosis...

But who else could be classified as a "lawful authority"? A school counselor? A district attorney? What about a legislator, a city councilman or a cop? They are certainly "authorities" in their own right. Could the words "lawful authority" also apply to them?

Do we really want to risk the Second Amendment on the question of what the words "lawful authority" in 27 CFR 478.11 mean -- once they have been "statutized" by HR 2640 and BATF is no longer under ANY constraint and can read it as broadly as they want?

If the "lawful authority" thinks you pose a danger to yourself or others (or can't manage your own affairs) then your gun rights could be gone.

What You Can Do

H.R. 2640 continues to sneak through the Senate. This gun control bill recently passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a voice vote. The U.S. Senate could vote on this measure at any moment. It is vital that you call your two U.S. Senators and tell them to oppose H.R. 2640, Sen. Leahy's gun control bill.

Please, call and e-mail your U.S. Senators. Urge them to oppose H.R. 2640, the McCarthy/Schumer gun control bill, ask them to sustain the hold on this legislation.

The U.S. Senate switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. Ask for your Senators' office.

Click here and enter your zip code to find out who your senators are.

Click here to find your Senators' official e-mail and website.

Also, call Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice-President of the NRA at (800) 392-8683 and tell him to stop supporting gun control.

More Information on H.R. 2640

The history of The NRA's support of H.R. 2640 and their betrayal of gun owners..

Click here to view the full text of the McCarthy/Schumer Gun Control Bill as prepared for the Government Printing Office (GPO).

Gun rights groups attack H.R. 2640:

Click here to read a letter from the Office of the Director of BATFE, regarding their view of enforcing the mental health requirements for gun ownership. Gun Owners of America deconstructs the BATFE letter here.
Click here to read WGO Executive Director Corey Graff's full article on H.R.2640.
Click here to read the Oregon Firearms Federation take H.R.2640 to task.
Click here to Read Rocky Mountain Gun Owners email alert on H.R.2640.

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