for all you guys that wrote letters - see it does make a difference!!

American Land Rights Association - Land Rights Network
PO Box 400 - Battle Ground WA 98604
Phone: 360-687-3087 - Fax: 360-687-2973 - Email: <alra@landrights.org> -
http://www.landrights.org
Legislative Office: 508 First St SE - Washington DC 20003
Phone: 202-210-2357 - Fax: 202-543-7126 - Email: landrightsnet@aol.com





NRA weakens backing for CARA Land Grab


The National Rifle Association held its Board of Directors meeting this
weekend, November 2, 3 and 4. The most controversial topic discussed was
its support for HR 701 "CARA," nicknamed the Condemnation and Relocation
Act.

The NRA's Washington, DC staff had endorsed this $45 billion land grab
trust fund without informing or gaining approval from the NRA Board. And
the Board was not happy.

In the end, the Board decided against a complete rejection of their own
staff's actions and total embarrassment for one of their own Board Members,
CARA sponsor Rep. Don Young.

However, the NRA's support for CARA is now strictly limited to just one
part of the bill. And even that support is tentative, dependent on
assurances and amendments to CARA that have been rejected by CARA sponsors
and which were defeated when CARA was voted on in committee.

CARA's main promoters are Louisiana Congressman Willy Tauzin and Alaska
Congressman Don Young. Louisiana and Alaska are the prime beneficiaries of
a pork barrel spending fund inserted within the bill. For example, the
average state gains eleven dollars ($11) per person, per year under CARA.
However, Alaska gains an incredible two-hundred sixty-six dollars ($266)
per person annually, while Louisiana is guaranteed over $300 million per
year.

A large majority of NRA board members are clearly against CARA. However,
under nonstop lobbying from the staff and CARA sponsor Don Young, the board
produced a severely stripped down resolution that just barely endorses
ONE-NINTH of CARA.

NRA "reaffirmed" endorsement for only Title 3, which is $350 million out of
$3.1 billion per year (one-ninth of the bill's funding). This was approved
37 to 6 over the objection of NRA's headquarters bureaucracy, which wanted
a much broader endorsement.

The board qualified its support further by rejecting (35 to 10) additional
language supporting CARA that Don Young had insisted be included.

Finally, it made its future support for CARA dependent on "the principle of
no net loss in federal land ownership open to public hunting and shooting
activities." This was agreed to as part of the same 35 to 10 vote, which
was opposed by CARA supporters.

However, a "no net loss" amendment to CARA had already been rejected by the
House of Representatives Resources Committee during consideration of HR
701. The official record states that on November 10, 1999, "Rep. Helen
Chenoweth-Hage offered an amendment {to HR 701} which would require that
nothing in the Act be construed to result in the net loss of acreage
available for hunting. The amendment failed by voice vote." (Source - House
Committee Report #106-499)

So, the net result is that CARA got a black eye, but it is still standing
and continues to be a threat.



The NRA board's actions represent a considerable embarrassment for
Congressman and longtime board member Don Young, who barely escaped with
the narrowest of endorsements for his pet legislation. It also puts a
leash on NRA lobbyists, who are hungry for the grant money NRA is eligible
to receive under CARA, even though environmental and animal rights groups
would receive many millions more.

CARA supporters were on the losing side of EVERY vote taken at the Board
meeting on Saturday, November 3.

Did the grassroots make a difference? YES!

Consider this - all the board members were swamped with emails, one board
member had fourteen pages worth, all opposed to the Land Grab. The fax
machine at the hotel was constantly running out of paper, and it took
thirty minutes to send out a two page fax because the phone lines were
constantly busy with incoming faxes.

Also - during the debate on CARA, many board members said they were called
by friends and associates - target shooters, hunters, gun owners of all
kinds from their hometown, homestate or business. Virtually every call was
a plea to vote against what we call the Condemnation and Relocation Act.

The result - in a highly unusual move, the Board rejected most of the
resolution language proposed by their own staff and one of their own Board
members, and left CARA with a black eye and just a sliver of an
endorsement.

IMPORTANT: The NRA board serves staggered three year terms. One-third of
the board is up for election each year. If you are an NRA member, consider
who promoted the CARA Land Grab versus who supported gun rights and
property rights next time you vote.

Next election, ASK NRA Directors - where do you stand on CARA ??? How
did you vote?


ACTION ITEM:

THANK the following three NRA Directors for leading the charge against
CARA and for gun rights and property rights:

U S Senator and NRA Director Larry Craig, he can be contacted at
www.craig.senate.gov

Director Dave Keene - can be contacted at www.acu.org

Director Grover Norquist - can be contacted at www.atr.org



PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR ENTIRE LIST SO THEY WILL KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED.



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