[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 407 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 407

   Condemning the National Rifle Association for holding its annual 
 convention on the anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah 
              Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 18, 1996

 Mr. Schumer submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Condemning the National Rifle Association for holding its annual 
 convention on the anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah 
              Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Whereas representatives of the National Rifle Association, in written materials 
        to its members and in public comments to various publications, refer to 
        many Federal employees in hateful, violent terms by comparing them to 
        ``Storm Troopers, Gestapo agents, and jackbooted thugs'';
Whereas the National Rifle Association continues to misrepresent the events at 
        the Branch Davidian compound at Waco, Texas, for purposes of fund 
        raising and membership;
Whereas the National Rifle Association unjustly blames Federal agents for the 
        fire at the Branch Davidian compound on April 19, 1993, despite clear 
        evidence that the fire was started by David Koresh;
Whereas the National Rifle Association, through its publications and comments by 
        its Board Members, has helped to establish April 19 as a day of 
        martyrdom to appeal to those on the extreme right-wing who loathe the 
        American Government;
Whereas the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was blown up on 
        the second anniversary of the fire at the Branch Davidian compound in 
        Waco;
Whereas the two principal suspects, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were 
        obsessed with the Waco stand-off;
Whereas publications by the National Rifle Association and comments by its Board 
        Members continue to direct inflammatory rhetoric at Federal employees 
        even after the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 
        Oklahoma City;
Whereas Neal Knox, National Rifle Association Vice President, was quoted after 
        the Oklahoma City bombing as saying, ``If the jackboots fit, the Bureau 
        of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
        have to be marched into the Congress and the Courts.'';
Whereas Jeff Cooper, National Rifle Association Board Member, was quoted after 
        the Oklahoma City bombing as saying, ``We are somewhat amused by the 
        hysteria manifest in the press at the suggestion by Gordon Liddy that if 
        one is menaced by bad guys, particularly the ninja (meaning the Bureau 
        of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms), one is wise to shoot for the head.'';
Whereas a National Rifle Association direct mail letter, published after the 
        Oklahoma City bombing, included a reference to ``government agents, 
        dressed in black, armed with automatic weapons,'';
Whereas Robert Brown, National Rifle Association Board Member, in articles 
        published after the Oklahoma City bombing referred to Federal law 
        enforcement officials as ``those foul-mouthed, trigger-happy storm 
        troopers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms'', ``trigger-
        happy Rambos and Bubbas'', ``gun Gestapo'', ``jackbooted thugs'', and 
        also asked whether certain Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 
        procurement was ``contingency preparation, in case they have to strafe 
        another church full of women and children'';
Whereas the National Rifle Association deliberately chose the date April 19, 
        1996, for its 125th annual convention;
Whereas the National Rifle Association's deliberate choice of April 19, 1996, 
        for its 125th annual convention is disrespectful of the families and 
        friends of the 169 individuals killed and the hundreds who were injured 
        in the Oklahoma City bombing, all Federal employees, and the American 
        people; and
Whereas the inflammatory rhetoric by the National Rifle Association may 
        contribute to further terrorist attacks on Federal Government 
        institutions by right-wing extremists: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives condemns the Board 
Members of the National Rifle Association for choosing April 19, 1996, 
as the date for its 125th annual convention, and for comparing Federal 
employees to Nazis, Storm Troopers, and Gestapo agents.
                                 <all>