Center for Media and Democracy Alec Model Legislation Resolution on Semi-automatic Firearms
Download original document:
Document text
Document text
This text is machine-read, and may contain errors. Check the original document to verify accuracy.
Exposed D I D Y O U K N O W ? Corporations VOTED to adopt this. Through ALEC, global companies ALEC EXPOSED Search ABOUT GO MEMBERS EVENTS & MEETINGS “ALEC” NEWShas long been a secretive collaboration between BigLegislation Business and Model “conservative” politicians. Civil Justice Behind closed doors, they ghostwrite “model” bills to Commerce, Insurance, and Economic be introduced in state Development capitols across the country. This agenda--underwritten Education by global corporations-includes majorEnvironment, tax Energy, and Agriculture loopholes for big industries and the super rich, Federal Relations proposals to offshore U.S. jobs and gut and minimum Health Human wage,Services and efforts to weaken public health, International Relations safety, and environmental protections. Public Although Safety andmany Elections of these bills have become law, until now, their origin Tax and Fiscal Policy has been largely unknown. With ALEC EXPOSED, the Telecommunications Centerand forInformation Media and Technology Democracy hopes more Americans will study the bills to understand the Print this Page depth and breadth of how Text-Only Page big corporations are Email this Page changing the legal rules and undermining democracy across the nation. ALEC’s’Corporate Board --in recent past or present • AT&T Services, Inc. • centerpoint360 • UPS • Bayer Corporation • GlaxoSmithKline • Energy Future Holdings • Johnson & Johnson • Coca-Cola Company • PhRMA • Kraft Foods, Inc. • Coca-Cola Co. • Pfizer Inc. • Reed Elsevier, Inc. • DIAGEO • Peabody Energy • Intuit, Inc. • Koch Industries, Inc. • ExxonMobil • Verizon • Reynolds American Inc. • Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. • Salt River Project • Altria Client Services, Inc. • American Bail Coalition • State Farm Insurance For more on these corporations, search at www.SourceWatch.org. By the Center for Media and Democracy www.prwatch.org Home LOGIN | LOGOUT | HOME | JOIN ALEC | CONTACT work as “equals” in “unison” with politicians to write laws to govern your life. Big MODEL LEGISLATION TASKa FORCES ALEC INITIATIVES PUBLICATIONS Business has “a VOICE and VOTE,” according to newly exposed documents. DO YOU? Model Legislation Public Safety and Elections Resolution on Semi-Automatic Firearms Summary Model Resolution Did you know the NRA--the National Rifle Association-was the corporate co-chair in 2011? WHEREAS recent national debate has focused on so-called "assault weapons," confusing the general public and lawmakers alike about the distinction between true military assault rifles and semi-automatic military-style look-alikes; and WHEREAS proposals currently under consideration at the local, state, and federal levels would arbitrarily ban or restrict the manufacture, possession, and use of semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and pistols under the guise of regulating assault weapons; and WHEREAS true military "assault rifles" have been defined by the Department of the Army to include only firearms that have a "selective fire" capability - i.e., machine guns and these true "assault weapons" have been strictly regulated by federal law since 1934 and banned in several states; and WHEREAS attempts by legislative bodies to change the definition of "assault weapon" has lead to "assault weapon" definitions that ban or restrict possession of a firearm based solely on its appearance, not taking into account its use, operation or design; and WHEREAS legislative activity has centered on inanimate firearms, while no action has yet addressed the condition and histories of the perpetrators of the heinous crimes that have instigated this national debate; and WHEREAS millions of law-abiding citizens have exercised their Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms by choosing to own military-styled semi-automatic rifles; and WHEREAS the semi-automatic technology in firearms has been available to the general public since the 1890's and semi-automatic firearms were the "weapons of choice" of President Theodore Roosevelt; and WHEREAS semi-automatic technology firearms are used by medal-winning athletes in the Olympics and are used every day in the legal pursuit of a variety of shooting sports, including hunting, target-shooting, competition, and recreation, as well as protection of person, family, and property; and WHEREAS law enforcement agencies from New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, as well as the FBI's Uniform Crime Report have confirmed that military-styled semi-automatic firearms are used in only one-half to three percent of all crimes involving firearms; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the American Legislative Exchange Council recommends the rejection of current proposals at the local, state, and federal levels that arbitrarily restrict the possession of the semi-automatic class of firearms by law-abiding American citizens; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the American Legislative Exchange Council recommends instead that the scarce resources of the law enforcement and criminal justice systems be focused upon uniform, consistent, and just sentencing, speedy trials, and increased punishment and incarceration for those who commit violent crime; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the clerk of the (House of Representatives or Senate) transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to the Attorney General of the United States, and to each Member of Congress of the United States. ALEC's Sourcebook of American State Legislation 1995 About Members Login Logout Events & Meetings Legislation Task Forces ALEC Initiatives Home About Us and ALEC EXPOSED.Model The Center for Media and Democracy reports onPublications corporate spin and government Join ALEC Contact News propaganda.! We are located in Madison, Wisconsin, and publish www.PRWatch.org, www.SourceWatch.org, and now www.ALECexposed.org. For more information contact: editor@prwatch.org or 608-260-9713.