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Sen. Allen and carry in National Parks
The Virginia Gun Owners' Coalition is calling upon people to contact outgoing Sen. George Allen and push for him to fulfil his campaign promise to allow firearms in national parks. Their email is in extended remarks, below.
Now that Senator Bill Frist has punted his plans to run for President in a dramatic press conference on Wednesday November 29th the big question is, "Will Senator George Allen fumble his pro-gun promise or take advantage of Bill Frist's decision to punt".
That's right! Bill Frist no longer has to choose between making the anti-gun lobby angry or making gun owners angry in the 2008 presidential primaries because he is no longer running for President.
This is a good development for gun owners. Had Frist run and decided to risk making gun owners angry, Senator Allen would have had to stand up to his political boss and fulfill his promise without Frist's help. There is NOW absolutely NOTHING standing in the way of George Allen getting a recorded vote on the repeal of the National Park Gun Ban Bill.
My concern is that there has been a deafening silence from Senator Allen as to which last-minute, must-pass piece of legislation Senator Allen will attach the repeal of the National Park Gun Ban Bill to.
Maybe he has just been too busy to return phone calls. But it may be that Senator Allen has decided to fumble the ball and blame someone else for knocking his pro-gun promise out of his hands.
That is why it is critical that you and I maintain the pressure by calling Senator Allen's office and asking the staff to have someone call you and tell you which bill Senator Allen will attach the repeal of the National Park Gun Ban Bill to.
We need to make this a defining issue for Senator Allen. If Senator Allen ever wants to run for office again and expects the support of gun owners he needs to get a recorded vote on his pro-gun promise NOT just sponsor the bill, fumble the ball, blame someone else, and go home.
If Allen is serious about his promise he and Bill Frist will find a bill to attach the National Park Gun Ban Repeal bill to as an amendment. .
Action Item:
Call Senator Allen at 202 224 4024 and tell the staffer that you want a phone call from Paul Unger, Allen's Legislative Director, telling you which bill Senator Allen will use to attach S. 4057, The National Park Gun Ban Repeal Bill, to as an amendment.
This is like running a 440 yard sprint. Let's speed up NOT slow down on the last 100 yards.
Please email me the results at president@vgoc.org
For Liberty
Mike McHugh
President, Virginia Gun Owners Coalition.