NFA-Hughes Amendment Repeal Possible?

[ungawa]

I got a lot of money in (for me), and YES I want the ban repealed.

But not holding my breath.

[BrassPie]

Personally I don't believe any law specifically named to repeal the Amendment would ever pass.

However, I do believe if some sneaky politico (is there any other?) were to sneak a line that says "18 USC 922(o) is repealed" somewhere in some otherwise important bill, I think it might be ignored and signed into law. I keep thinking during the Health Care Bill that there should have been somebody that could have and should have done it.

The utter stupidity of some Democrats is staggering. No, the island of Guam will not tip over, is one of the latest WTF we've all seen. SO...If somebody were to insert a line that might say, "The Hughes Amendment to the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 is repealed" many would not know what they were doing. The phrase "Firearm Owners Protection" might get idiots like Pelosi to salivate at the mouth. Let them screw themselves One More Time. Out of pure cupidity and stupidity let them accidentally repeal a little law.

[Azzy]

The "we they do it!" excuse is no reason to sneak things into bills. It is a bad idea, no matter who does it.

[nfafan]

The "we they do it!" excuse is no reason to sneak things into bills. It is a bad idea, no matter who does it.

Well - that's how the schiit was passed to begin with.

And there is NO hope of the MG Ban being repealed on its own unless it is done the same way the sneaky basturds did it in the first place - bury it inside a bill that the socialista anti-gunners desperately want to pass.

Otherwise, I agree that such behavior is bad, but that's all the DC power-mongers readily comprehend short of mass assassinations.

[tsafa]

What it would take if for people to get elected whose political priority is to defend the Constitution against future tyranny. Sadly the priority of people running for office is First get Elected and the then Second get ReElected. Political office is just an easy paycheck for those guys.

[nfafan]

What it would take if for people to get elected whose political priority is to defend the Constitution against future tyranny. Sadly the priority of people running for office is First get Elected and the then Second get ReElected. Political office is just an easy paycheck for those guys.

Plus 1000. And they do Job #2 - get reelected - while on our paycheck!

[tsafa]

If the Tea Party can pick up some more seats in the November 2011 and we can get a Republican in the White House in 2012... I think 2012 could be the year for sweeping wins for gun rights. I think Ron Paul has a job to do. I am not sure if I am comfortable with him as president... but he is a good person to push the the pro-gun rights agenda on Capital Hill.

I came across this from Ron Paul:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul73.html


Likewise... I am very worried about NYC's Bloomberg trying to buy the White House. He would be devastating to gun rights in the White House. I would rather have Nixon (or his corpse) in the White House again rather then Bloomberg.

[PaGunner]

I know this thread has been dormant for a few months but I went ahead and sent an email to the NRA-ILA asking why the NRA has not addressed the Hughes Amendment. I said I knew the history of how the legislation had many good things in there and when Reagan said he would veto it the NRA said they would just get the Hughes Amendment overturned later. I stressed that it was later and that if/when the senate and hopefully Whitehouse go GOP in 2012 it'd be a perfect time to act. I also asked why they don't start to speak to pro-NRA politicians now so once 2012 rolls into 2013 they can get the ball moving.

Below is the response I got. What do you guys think?

Dear Mr. "PaGunner",

Thank you for contacting NRA-ILA.

The ban on transferring newly manufactured machineguns to private citizens was passed in 1986 as an amendment to the Firearms Owners' Protection Act (FOPA). FOPA (first introduced in 1979) made many critical reforms to our nation's firearms laws. Among its many provisions, it significantly reformed the licensing process for firearm dealers; allowed dealers to do business at gun shows; and protects the right of all law-abiding Americans to transport firearms throughout the U.S. without fear of prosecution under restrictive state or local laws.

The machine gun provision is known as the "Hughes Amendment," after its sponsor, Rep. William Hughes (D-N.J.); it was adopted by a questionable voice vote, after the clock had run out on the House debate.

While the NRA opposed the Hughes Amendment, as a practical matter we were not willing to let major pro-gun reform, and seven years of work by NRA members and staff, go down the drain. If we had scuttled FOPA over this amendment, we would have done our opponents' dirty work for them. We would also have betrayed our allies in Congress, who had spent their own priceless political capital bringing the bill to the floor. While this was a difficult decision, we believe it has proved to be the better part of valor.

Needless to say, NRA strongly supports the rights of those who own firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act. In recent years, we have supported legislation such as the "Veterans' Heritage Firearms Act" (H.R. 442 in the 111th Congress), and will continue to support these and other measures to protect the rights of NFA firearm owners.

It is unlikely the issue will be revisited in this session of congress. Even if a repeal could be passed through both houses we do not have the votes needed to override the guaranteed Presidential veto. Assuming the next election creates a political landscape where such a measure could be pushed through somehow, we would certainly revisit the issue.

Again, thank you for your inquiry and please do not hesitate to share any of your thoughts or concerns in the future.


Sincerely,
Kyle C
NRA-ILA Grassroots Division

[Yellowfin]

That's about all they can say, really, but at least they were friendly about it. I really wish we'd fought a LOT harder against the O-hole in 2008 and cannot understand why we didn't.

[ChamberedRound]

That's about all they can say, really, but at least they were friendly about it. I really wish we'd fought a LOT harder against the O-hole in 2008 and cannot understand why we didn't.

Because McCain wasn't exactly someone most people could get behind either.

Personally, I think the best chance we have at getting anything in the NFA, GCA, etc. repealed is the tax stamp and registration on silencers/suppressors.