NRA-ILA demonstrates its influence in advancing Second Amendment causes

Far too often, an organization's entire body of work can get overshadowed.

Take National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), for example.

NRA-ILA, established in 1975 and headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, is the lobbying arm of NRA and is "committed to preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes" as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.

That's no small feat for a national organization like this. NRA-ILA employs a staff of more than 80 and has a team of full-time lobbyists defending Second Amendment rights in Washington, in state legislatures, and in local governments. Whereas NRA is a single-issue organization, NRA-ILA is involved in any issue that affects firearms use and ownership, including hunting and access to hunting lands, conservation efforts, marksmanship training, law-enforcement issues, crime victim rights, and criminal justice reform.

While Buckeye Firearms Association's work is focused almost exclusively on Ohio, NRA-ILA reaches the entire United States.

For example, NRA-ILA directly contacted 14 million voters through door-to-door canvassing, texting, and phone banking. The NRA was involved in 500 races at the state and federal levels, with the NRA-ILA team playing a key role in 350 of them. Moreover, between staff and NRA-ILA frontlines activist leaders, they organized more than 400 events in targeted election areas around the country.

Linda Walker, who serves on both the BFA and NRA boards, shared her enthusiasm and admiration for what has been accomplished on the Second Amendment front.

“I am incredibly proud of all of the work that our staff at NRA and NRA-ILA have done. But I’d be remiss to not recognize that thousands of NRA and BFA volunteers helped make this a very successful election on Nov. 5," Walker said. "Without volunteers, none of this would have happened. We thank each and every one of you for your dedication. NRA-ILA made Bernie Moreno’s election one of the top three campaigns in our country. A lot of financial resources were spent to ensure that Moreno would be elected to be one of our new U.S. Senators. Success accomplished."

Walker said she believes this election was the difference between saving freedom and seeing the country go in the direction of other degraded nations who elect the wrong leaders.

"I’ve spent most of my life fighting for our Second Amendment rights so that my grandchildren can grow up with the freedom that I grew up with," she said. "We all need to do the same and educate the younger generations on what freedom in the United States means to them. It is our job as adults to pass the torch to them to protect freedom for future generations to come. Voting and being involved are their first steps.”

Here's a look at a long list of ILA's involvement and accomplishments in 2024:

Federal level

• Secured President Trump’s victory.
• Gained a pro-gun majority in the U.S. Senate.
• Upheld a pro-gun majority in the U.S. House.
• Protected veterans from being arbitrarily stripped of their Second Amendment rights.
• Defeated attempts to criminalize private firearm transfers.
• Blocked legislation that would ban semi-automatic firearms and “large-capacity magazines.”
• Defeated legislation to create broad new categories of Americans that are banned from possessing firearms.
• Safeguarded all pro-gun protections in federal spending bills.
• Blocked legislation that would create indefinite delays for lawful gun buyers.
• Blocked a Biden-Harris plan to defund shooting, hunting, and archery education in schools.

State and local levels

• NRA-backed constitutional carry legislation was passed in Louisiana and South Carolina. Now 29 states recognize law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
• Passed NRA-backed legislation in nine states (Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia) prohibiting the use of firearm- and ammunition-specific merchant category codes. This legislation provides critical financial privacy protections for gun owners. Side note: BFA was successful in blocking tracking codes here in Ohio.
• Iowa and Louisiana passed NRA-backed legislation strengthening and enhancing state firearm preemption laws.
• Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed more than two dozen anti-gun bills, protecting the rights of law-abiding Virginians.
• Gov. Janet Mills vetoed legislation in Maine that would have placed severe restrictions on semiautomatic firearms.

Grassroots efforts

• Activated NRA members and supporters to vote for pro-Second Amendment candidates in elections across the country. Side note: 80% of BFA PAC-endorsed candidates win in 2024 general election
• Participated in over 400 in-person events throughout the country to educate and motivate NRA members and Second Amendment supporters to get involved in the 2024 elections.
• Deployed campaign staff to key battleground states to work on behalf of our NRA-PVF (Political Victory Fund)-endorsed candidates.
• Hosted virtual meetings to train hundreds of volunteers to assist with our voter outreach efforts.
• Contacted over 14 million voters in key battleground states in over 500 races (both at the federal and state level) where NRA-PVF -endorsed candidates were endorsed.

Litigation

• Invalidated Illinois’ bans on “assault weapons” and “large-capacity magazines” in federal district court.
• Invalidated Maryland’s ban on carrying firearms in several “sensitive places” in federal district court.
• Invalidated a ban on Colt AR-15s in federal district court.
• Preliminarily enjoined enforcement of the ATF's "Pistol Brace Rule."
• Preliminarily enjoined enforcement of California’s ban on the promotion of firearm-related products that may be attractive to minors.
• Filed a lawsuit challenging Massachusetts’ ban on “assault-style firearms” and bans on public carry and semi-automatic long-gun possession by young adults.
• Filed a lawsuit challenging New Mexico’s seven-day waiting period requirement for firearm purchases.
• Filed a lawsuit challenging California’s excise tax on firearm and ammunition sales.
• Filed a lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania’s ban on concealed carry for young adults.
• Filed lawsuits challenging ATF's "engaged in the business" rule.
• Filed lawsuit challenging Delaware's Handgun Qualified Purchase Permit requirement for handgun purchases.
• Petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a challenge to Maryland’s Handgun Qualification License requirement for handgun possession.
• Filed 16 amicus briefs in lawsuits across the country, including eight in the U.S. Supreme Court.