NRA-ILA applauds Ohio Congressman Zack Space in August newsletter

The National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislation Action highlighted Ohio Congressman Zack Space (D-18) in the latest edition of "Freedom's Voice", the organization's official newsletter.

Space, a 2008 Buckeye Firearms Association endorsee, has lived up to his promise to voters when it comes to support for gun rights. He introduced similar BATFE reform legislation immediately after getting elected in 2006, and in 2008 he joined a number of his colleagues in signing onto a National Rifle Association "friend of the court" brief urging the United States Supreme Court to recognize the rights of all Americans to own firearms in the D.C. v. Heller case.

From the NRA-ILA:

We would like to applaud the efforts of U.S. Representatives Steve King (R-Iowa), and Zack Space (D-Ohio) for their pro-Second Amendment advocacy in introducing H.R. 2296: The "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act of 2009" (a companion bill—S. 941—was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)).

These bipartisan bills are mainly aimed at one problem: Around the country, gun stores—small and large—have been threatened with closure over minor, unintentional record-keeping violations. The bills would roll back unnecessary restrictions, correct errors, and codify longstanding congressional policies in the firearms arena. These bipartisan bills are a vital step to modernize and improve BATFE operations.

Of highest importance, H.R. 2296 and S. 941 rewrite the system of administrative penalties for licensed dealers, manufacturers and importers of firearms. Today, for most violations, BATFE can only give a federal firearms license (FFL) holder a warning, or completely revoke his license.

H.R. 2296 and S. 941 would allow fines or license suspensions for less serious violations, while still allowing license revocation for the kind of serious violations that would block an investigation or put guns in the hands of criminals. This will help prevent the all-too-common situations where BATFE has revoked licenses for insignificant technical violations—such as improper use of abbreviations, or filing records in the wrong order.

S. 941 represents the first time such BATFE reform legislation has been introduced in the Senate. However, the House passed similar legislation (H.R. 5092) in the 109th Congress, by a 277-131 vote. A majority of the House—224 congressmen—cosponsored a similar bill in the 110th Congress.

A fact sheet on H.R. 2296/S. 941 can be found here.

As of this writing, H.R. 2296 has 174 cosponsors, and S. 941 has 12 cosponsors.

NRA members and gun owners should contact Reps. Space and King and thank them for sponsoring H.R. 2296, and for their ongoing support of our Second Amendment rights. And please be sure to contact your U.S. Representative and Senators, and ask them to cosponsor and support H.R. 2296 and S. 941! You can call your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121, and your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121.

Contact Information for Rep. Space: 315 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-3518;
Phone: (202) 225-6265; Fax: (202) 225-3394;
Web Site: www.space.house.gov

Contact Information for Rep. King: 1609 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-1505;
Phone: (202) 225-4426; Fax: (202) 225-3193;
Web Site: www.house.gov/steveking