 In Washington, D.C., CCRKBA announced its support for the proposed Veterans’ Heritage Firearms Act of 2009. Introduced by Rep. Dennis Rehberg of Montana, the bill, H.R. 442, would provide for a 90-day amnesty period during which veterans and their family members can register in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record certain firearms which veterans acquired as “souvenirs” while serving overseas. It has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, and in addition to the House Ways and Means Committee, for a period to be determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In the case of United States v. Hayes, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal law that takes gun rights away from people who have been convicted of any domestic violence crime. Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, writing the majority opinion in the 7-2 decision, stated the federal ban on gun possession was intended to keep “firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers.” The law, known as the Lautenberg Amendment after sponsor Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, covers not only people who have felony convictions, indicated Justice Ginsburg, but also misdemeanors involving an assault against a former or current spouse or a live-in partner, as well as a child, a parent or others who live together in the home.
Rep. Dan Boren of Oklahoma, a Democrat, announced in late February that he will serve as co-chairman of a new bi-partisan task force on gun rights. “I am afraid we could witness a significant tilt to the left on gun issues in the current climate in Washington and that has me greatly concerned,” said Congressman Boren. “I believe members of the Second Amendment Task Force will serve a critical role in preventing overreaching by those who would seek to enact anti-gun policies.” Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia will be the group’s Republican co-chairman. Rep. Boren said the task force will be charged with monitoring legislation regarding the Second Amendment during the 111th Congress. He said it will act as a unified and proactive force to promote legislation that protects the Second Amendment and to fight legislation that poses a threat to citizens’ right to keep and bear arms.
“It is with deep regret,” writes Mark C. Nasstrom, “that I inform you we have one less CCRKBA Member here in the State of Oregon. My good friend of 35 years passed on to his ‘happy hunting grounds’ after a one month battle with advanced pancreatic cancer. Leigh Philip Hanson was a tireless soldier for our Second Amendment rights, writing dozens of letters to our local, state and federal officials on Second Amendment matters, praising them when they voter our way, and when they flip-flopped on whatever ‘issue,’ he held them accountable. The important thing was that he kept an open dialogue with our elected officials, and at times actually got them to see his side of the matter, and they voted our way because of his input.”
“Punjab women keeping licensed guns for self-defense,” proclaims a headline posted on SmasHits.com. In an ANI article datelined New Delhi, India, we learn that, “as the criminal activities are rising in Punjab, a growing number of women have started keeping licensed guns to protect themselves. With 541 licensed weapons registered for women, Bhatinda district comes first in the tally, followed by Patiala (256) and Faridkot (105). Women feel that keeping a weapon would enable them to defend themselves and their families in crisis situations.”
“The Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation says that if the $76 billion sportsmen spend nationally on hunting and fishing were the gross domestic product of a country, sportsmen would rank 57th out of 181 countries,” reports the Omaha World-Herald. “In many states, sportsmen spend more money, support more jobs and pay more taxes than most industries in the state, the report said.”