NSSF Political Action Committee Year In Review 2011

National Shooting Sports Foundation

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NSSF PAC Year In Review

The firearms and ammunition industry is healthy and enjoying robust sales so far in 2012. However, threats to Americas firearms and ammunition industry, your business and our firearms freedoms are always just one election away. The elections this November are critical since the results will directly impact and shape the future of our industry, our hunting and shooting sports heritage and our Second Amendment freedoms. Groups like Mayor Bloombergs Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) are preparing their next attack on our industry. Just last year, according to Sarah Brady, President Obama told her, I just want you to know that we are working on it [gun control]. We have to go through a few processes, but under the radar. Leading gun-control advocate U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) recently said, I have spoken to the president. He is with me on [gun-control], and its just going to be when that opportunity comes forward that were going to be able to go forward. Make no mistake, the opportunity they are talking about is the 2012 elections. You can be confident your trade association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) the Voice of Industry will continue to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports in 2012 with as much zeal as it has done for more than 50 years. NSSF is focusing on the upcoming elections to ensure through our #gunvote/Dont Risk Your Rights campaign that gun owners, hunters and sportsmen know where the candidates running for Congress, the Senate and the White House stand on gun-control and sportsmen issues. And through our NSSF Political Action Committee (NSSF PAC), we will endorse and directly support candidates for Congress, the Senate and the White House who are proindustry, pro-gun and pro-sportsmen.
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3 Recreational Shooting Protection Act (H.R.3440) 3 Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act (S.1066/ H.R.991) Recreational Land Self-Defense Act of 2011 (S.1588/ H.R.1865) Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Act (S.1249/ H.R.3065) Progress on U.S. Export Control Reforms for Sporting Arms and Ammunition Products NssF Pac PoiseD FoR eLectioN DaY The NSSF PAC YOUR industrys PAC is poised to endorse and directly support candidates for Congress, the Senate and the White House who are pro-industry, pro-gun and pro-sportsmen. The NSSF PAC, the nonpartisan, federal multi-candidate political action committee of the NSSF, is the cornerstone of NSSFs government relations strategy. It is the muscle that powers NSSFs political arm and makes NSSFs government relations efforts possible. Last year, the NSSF PAC was busy growing its ranks to be in a better position to support pro-industry, pro-Second Amendment and prosportsmen candidates for federal office candidates who understand and support our industry and issues. The NSSF PAC has achieved several important milestones. First, the PAC surpassed the 50-contributor mark to qualify as a Federal Election Commission-recognized, multi-candidate PAC. Reaching this goal allows the PAC to provide greater financial support to candidates than we previously could. Additionally, the PAC passed its goal of raising more than $50,000 in contributions. The PAC raised three times more in 2011 than it did the year before ($38,180 in 2011 compared to $10,600 in 2010). For an entity only two years old, these are monumental achievements that will enable industry to thwart attacks from anti-gun advocates, like the Brady Center. To put things into perspective, FEC records show the NSSF PAC has raised more money since its inception than the antigun Brady Campaign Voter Education Fund has raised over the last seven years. The NSSF PAC also continued its support of federal candidates on both sides of the aisle who have stood up as pro-industry, pro-Second Amendment and pro-sportsmen leaders. The NSSF PAC does not support candidates based on their political affiliation, but on their record of promoting, protecting, and preserving the collective interests of the firearms, ammunition, hunting, and shooting sports industry, our hunting and shooting sports heritage, and firearms freedoms.

2011 LegisLative successes NSSFs government relations team took full advantage of the current pro-gun, pro-sportsmen climate in Congress to advance our industrys federal legislative and regulatory priorities, including: Sportsmens Heritage Act of 2012 (H.R.4089), a sportsmens bill package combining legislative priorities 3 Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational Shooting Protection Act (S.838/H.R.1558) 3 Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act (S.2066/H.R.2834)

NssF Pac eveNt HigHLigHts u.s. sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) kicked off NSSFs 2011 Washington, D.C., Congressional FlyIn. Sen. Nelson addressed NSSF PAC members and the important role industry and sportsmen play in promoting, protecting and preserving Americas hunting and shooting sports heritage. u.s. sen. Dean Heller (RNV) addressed guests at the NSSF PAC reception at the 2012 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Sen. Hellers attendance at the show underscores the continued importance of the firearms and ammunition industry to the U.S. economy.

2011 NSSF PAC CANdIdATe CoNTRIbuTIoNS State - District/ Office Dean Heller R NV Patrick Leahy D VT Mitch McConnell R KY Ben Nelson D NE Total u.S. Senate Contributions Candidate Party John Boehner R Robert Cornilles R Robert Latta R Total u.S. House Contributions OH - 08 OR - 01 OH - 05 NSSF PAC Contribution $2,500 $2,000 $2,000 $4,000 $10,500 $3,000 $1,000 $1,000 $5,000

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Note: The NSSF PAC made a $500 contribution to former GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty. In a speech to SHOT Show attendees in 2001, during the industrys darkest days brought about by the tidal wave of frivolous politically-motivated municipal lawsuits, Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY) proclaimed, In politics you have a choice take partor get taken apart. These words are as true today as they were more than a decade ago. NSSFs government relations team will continue to do its part through direct lobbying and grassroots advocacy and with the recent launch of its voter-education website #gunvote (www.nssf.org/gunvote). These efforts will zero in on getting more NSSF PAC-endorsed candidates elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. They will also ensure that the next president truly respects our industry and the Second Amendment and will appoint Supreme Court justices who will decide Second Amendment issues based on the law and not their personal opinions. No one understands better than the NSSF PAC the unique legislative and regulatory challenges industry members face. And no one other than the PAC will advance our industrys interests with more passion and commitment on Election Day. We need to continue fighting, and on Election Day, together, we will do just that. For more information on the NSSF PAC, visit www.nssfpac.org or contact Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF PAC Treasurer, at (203) 426-1320 or nssfpac@nssf.org. Lawrence g. keane NssF Pac treasurer

The NSSF PAC welcomed House speaker John Boehner (R-OH) to the NSSF Winter Board of Governors Meetings in February. Speaker Boehner discussed the importance of the upcoming election, calling it the most important election of our lifetime. He thanked Americas firearms and ammunition industry for the contribution it makes to the nations economy. 2012 outLook In response to ongoing efforts to ban traditional lead ammunition, NSSF will continue to defend the right of sportsmen to use ammunition of their choice by supporting legislation aimed at protecting this right and through educational campaigns aimed at sportsmen and the public. Furthermore, while industry respects its longstanding cooperative relationship with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, it will continue to fight to strike down illegal and arbitrary regulations that harm member businesses. The biggest event in our sights is, of course, the November elections. It is guaranteed that anti-gun and anti-hunting forces will use the elections as a referendum against the Second Amendment and law-abiding companies that make the exercise of this fundamental right possible.

2011-2012 NSSF PAC MeMbeRS

Laurie Aronson Teresa Bartle William Biss Marianna Blanco James Boyce Jr. Daniel Boyer Michael Brown Jeffrey Buchanan Mitchell Butler John Cahill Matthew Chisholm III Robert Cicero Leigh Coffin Dean Coldiron James Debney Christopher Dolnack Joshua Dorsey IV Don Duhigg Walker English James Falkenstine Jr. Michael Fifer Michael Flynn William Fraim Gary French Victor Gabriella Jim Hamby Steve Hornady Jason Hornady Calvin Johnston Michael Jolly Lawrence Keane Joseph Keffer Ryan Krantz John Larkin Richard Lipsey Walter McLallen IV Michael Mitchell Robley Moore Robert Morrison Alan Mossberg Alan Mossberg Jr. James Murata Earl Noel Jr. Kevin ODonovan Patrick OMalley Douglas Painter Mario Pasantes Rick Patterson William Pickle Gerald Quinn Kevin Reid Sr. John Ridlehuber David Robertson Joyce Rubino Stephen Sanetti J. Savage Robert Scott Nick Seifert Douglas Sensenig Thomas Shepherd Erin Simpson Shelly Singleton Richard Smith Robert Southwick Diane Sweet Gary Swenson Robert Viden Larry Weishuhn Kent Williams Kenneth Wise

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www.nssfpac.org
Promoting, Protecting and Preserving Americas Hunting and Shooting Sports Industry, Your Business & Our Firearms Freedoms

DOnt RISk YOUR RIgHtS!

ensure your voice is heard on election Day.

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www.nssf.org/gunvote
Register to vote and learn where the candidates stand on hunting, shooting and the second amendment.

11 Mile Hill Road Newtown, CT 06470-2359 T: 203.426.1320 F: 203.426.1087 www.nssf.org

2012 National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved Item #9104

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