Bullet Points Vol. 2 - No. 30 · KANSAN TAPPED TO HEAD FISH & WILDLIFE AGENCY . . . Steven A. Williams, secretary of the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks and a staunch friend of the hunting and shooting sports community, has been nominated by President Bush for director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Williams has been praised by a wide range of outdoor sporting groups including the NSSF, and has earned the respect and admiration of conservationists nationwide. He has recently been active in efforts to persuade the federal government to release more conservation funding directly to state agencies. A graduate of Pennsylvania State University where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Resource Management, Williams gained a Masters degree in biology from the University of North Dakota, and later his Ph.D. in Forest Resources from Penn State. He worked for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife rising to Asst. Director for Wildlife before moving on to become the Deputy Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. He was appointed the head of the Kansas agency in May 1995. · GUN INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT WITH U.N. NO CAUSE FOR ALARM . . . Recent reports in the media about major gun makers agreeing to a voluntary, industry marking system for firearms have apparently created some confusion and concern within the firearm-owning community. Some clarification is obviously in order. For some time now, the world’s leading arms producers, including major American gun companies as well as the NSSF, SAAMI, and the NRA, have been actively engaged under an international umbrella organization known as the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities in an effort to combat global gun control efforts that might negatively impact the industry and the rights of gun owners and sportsmen around the world. As part of these activities, industry representatives have attended meetings with U.N. officials regarding various firearm issues. The World Forum’s positions on U.N. anti-terrorist proposals are the very same as those expressed by the U.S. State Department during a U.N. conference held in New York July 9-20. The U.S. made it clear that it would not support any international attempts to restrict the legitimate trade in firearms, nor would it support any actions “contrary to (America’s) constitutional right to keep and bear arms.” That position was in fact influenced by the World Forum’s active participation in the ongoing U.N. debate. What World Forum members, through its Manufacturers Advisory Group, did agree to accept was for all new firearms produced anywhere in the world to be clearly marked with the manufacturer’s name, address, serial number and country of origin. This is precisely what domestic gun makers and those that import firearms into the U.S. already must do under existing U.S. law. In agreeing to support a similar marking system worldwide, the World Forum stressed that it should be left up to individual countries, not the U.N., to determine the exact marking system to be used, and that individual manufacturers should be free to adopt standard markings as part of a voluntary, self-regulating program. Speaking for the Manufacturers Advisory Group, Ted Rowe, of Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., said “Any implication that Sturm, Ruger or other companies representing the advisory group in any way support international gun control or civilian disarmament is absolutely contrary to the truth. Unfortunately, the media, which is generally hostile to civilian firearm ownership, usually mistakes matters relating to this subject.” Rowe added that, “we hold as a basic tenet the right of individual citizens to own and use firearms lawfully and responsibly. This is a fundamental right of Americans and must be a fundamental right of all free people. That is our message to the United Nations.” Any implications in the press that the World Forum, the NSSF, SAAMI or any of its member companies including Sturm, Ruger & Co, Inc., are supporting United Nations’ efforts to impose international gun controls and to disarm law-abiding gun owners in the U.S. or any other country are categorically false. · U.S. HOUSE REJECTS 90-DAY NICS RECORDS RETENTION . . . The U. S. House of Representatives on Wednesday (July 18) rejected by a vote of 268-161 an effort by U.S. Rep. James Moran (D-VA) that would allow the government to retain for 90 days the computerized records on gun buyers who pass the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The vote came during budget debates that included funding for the FBI which conducts the background checks. Moran had offered an amendment to the budget bill to counter U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft’s plan to reduce the record retention time from 90 days to one day. In proposing the change last month, Ashcroft stressed that the shortened time would still allow the FBI sufficient time to audit the system for fraud and abuse while adhering to the intent of the law “to protect the privacy of legitimate gun purchasers.” A bill by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) is pending in the Senate, however, that would retain the 90-day requirement. · GREAT OUTDOOR GAMES BEGIN, WILL AIR ON ESPN . . . If anyone ever thought target shooting events weren’t exciting, then they’ve never caught the action on ESPN’s Great Outdoor Games, which returned to Lake Placid, NY July 12-15 for their second year. The Games feature some of the world’s top competitors in fishing, timber events, sporting dog trials, and target sports. This year’s event drew more than 30,000 spectators and 200 competitors. The unique and challenging shooting events, which include archery, rifle and shotgun, were designed especially for the games by the NSSF and the Archery Manufacturers Organization. NSSF again managed the shooting stages this year. ESPN will broadcast the games at varying times throughout July and August. ABC Sports will also air a segment. In-depth information on the Games, with a complete list of competitors, a description of events with on-air commentary, event results, event times and broadcast schedules are available on ESPN’s web site by going to www.nssf.org/gog . ESPN’s initial broadcast is set for Thursday, July 26 at 8:00 pm. ABC will air on Sunday, July 29 at 1:30 pm.

Vol. 2 - No. 29 BULLET POINTS

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