National Rifle Association

The National Rifle Association, or NRA, is a highly organized 501(c)(4) group for gun promotion in the United States. It sponsors firearm safety training courses, as well as shooting skills and sports. The organization is sometimes considered to be the most powerful single non-profit organization in the United States and was established in New York in 1871 as the 'American Rifle Association'. It often refers to itself as the oldest civil rights organization in the U.S., defining gun ownership as a civil right protected by the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

Political lobby

The NRA is considered by many to be one of the most influential political lobbies in the USA because of its ability to consistently deliver large numbers of votes in elections, as well as its record of campaign contributions and activities in lobbying against gun control. Political lobbying is an activity permitted under its 501(c)(4) tax status.

Related Topics:
Lobbies - Campaign contributions - Lobbying

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In the 1994 election the NRA is often credited with defeating Congressman Jack Brooks and Speaker of the House Tom Foley (the first Speaker to lose a re-election since 1860). Bill Clinton wrote in his autobiography, My Life:

Related Topics:
1994 - Jack Brooks - Speaker of the House - Tom Foley - Bill Clinton

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:"The NRA had a great night. They beat both Speaker Tom Foley and Jack Brooks, two of the ablest members of Congress, who had warned me this would happen. Foley was the first Speaker to be defeated in more than a century. Jack Brooks had supported the NRA for years and had led the fight against the assault weapons ban in the House, but as chairman of the Judiciary Committee he had voted for the overall crime bill even after the ban was put into it. The NRA was an unforgiving master: one strike and you're out. The gun lobby claimed to have defeated nineteen of the twenty-four members on its hit list. They did at least that much damage and could rightly claim to have made Gingrich the House Speaker (629-630)."

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Many gun-control laws have been passed throughout the country, always being fought vigorously by the NRA and their supporters. These laws range from the near-total ban on gun ownership in Washington, DC, to the outlawing of entire classes of firearms in many states as well as at the federal level, to the licensing of firearms owners in some jurisdictions.

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The NRA opposes new gun-control legislation in favor of stricter enforcement of existing laws prohibiting convicted felons and violent criminals from possessing firearms, increased sentences for gun-related crime, and "right-to-carry" laws expediting the process in many states of receiving a concealed handgun license.

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The NRA is officially nonpartisan, and has endorsed both Democrats and Republicans; however, more Republicans tend to agree with its views than Democrats, and this is reflected in the number of endorsements. The NRA's policy is that it will endorse any incumbent who supports their positions, even if the challenger supports them as well.

Related Topics:
Democrats - Republicans - Incumbent

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Current campaigns

As of September 2003, the NRA was focusing its efforts at the federal level on: firstly, encouraging Congress to enact a bill protecting manufacturers of products from certain types of lawsuits. S.659/S.1806, the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act" is also supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors. It is opposed by many gun-control groups. The bill was defeated on March 2, 2004, after Senate amendments were attached to it to extend the assault weapons ban and close the so-called "gun-show loophole." The NRA changed its stance and opposed the bill when these two amendments were added. However, since the ban and the loophole closing were amendments, they must be voted upon again in the Senate to be passed into law.

Related Topics:
As of September 2003 - Lawsuit - Chamber of Commerce - National Association of Manufacturers - National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors - March 2 - 2004

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Recently, the NRA worked to prevent the gun control lobby from re-authorizing the 1994 federal assault weapons ban, which banned many features of certain semi-automatic rifles and certain types of removable magazines. The gun control lobby wanted to make the "assault weapons ban" permanent, and perhaps expand it. In a victory for the NRA, the law expired on midnight of September 13th, 2004, making the banned weapons legal again.

Related Topics:
1994 - Federal assault weapons ban - Semi-automatic rifle - Magazines - September 13 - 2004

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Current leadership and policies

The NRA organization is governed by a large (typically 75 member) board of directors. The directors choose the president, the leading spokesman for the organization, from among their members. Although traditionally this position changed annually, for several years it was consecutively held by Charlton Heston, who was a compelling promoter of the NRA agenda. Heston became afflicted with Alzheimer's disease, and stepped down in April of 2003. Sandra S. Froman is now president.

Related Topics:
Charlton Heston - Alzheimer's disease - April - 2003

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The organization also has an Executive Vice President, who is not a director but functions as Chief Executive Officer, appointed at the pleasure of the directors. Wayne LaPierre has held this position since 1991. http://nramemberscouncils.com/wayne/bio.shtml

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2000 Presidential Election

Some people credit the NRA's heavy campaigning in Arkansas and Tennessee in the weeks before the 2000 Presidential Election with taking votes from Al Gore and making him lose both states. Had Gore won either state, he would have won the presidency. Bill Clinton won both states in 1992 and 1996, and Clinton has even remarked in interviews since 2000 that the only reason Arkansas voted for George W. Bush was because of the NRA's extremely heavy campaigning in the state, and the fact that they warned people that Gore would "take their guns".

Related Topics:
Arkansas - Tennessee - 2000 Presidential Election - Al Gore - Bill Clinton - George W. Bush

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