Key Dates: for the NRA association

1871: The NRA is chartered in New York.
1903: Shooting programs for students is set up.
1907: National headquarters moves to Washington, D.C.
1934: The Legislative Affairs Division is created to organize
1949: NRA launches a hunter education program.
1968: First significant gun control legislation in 30 years
1975: Institute for Legislative Action, the NRA's lobbying
1983: Reagan becomes the first U.S. president to address the
1994: The Brady Bill, calling for waiting periods and
1995: A new headquarters building is constructed.
1998: NRA hosts its largest convention ever and names actor

NRA ascosciation

Its membership stands at about 3.8 million, down about 200,000 from 2004. But the relatively small rank and file can have outsized political impact because their members vote at a higher rate — 95 percent — than the overall electorate

Similarly, Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., urged caution. "I hope there's not a rush to do anything," Reid said. He declined to say whether the NRA holds too much sway on Capitol Hill. "It's not really good today to cast aspersions, either positively or negatively."
~from CBSnews.com

The National Rifle Association of America

The NRA aims to keep gun controversy in your face. The National Rifle Association (NRA), with more than 4 million members, is the staunch defender of Second Amendment rights. It's a major player in the political arena and stands firm in its resolve to protect the right to keep and bear arms. The NRA offers a variety of educational and gun safety programs and publishes several magazines ("America's 1st Freedom, American Hunter, Women's Outlook"). It also sells NRA merchandise and has floated the idea of an NRA-themed restaurant and store. Charlton Heston resigned as president in 2003 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Union army veterans William Church and George Wingate founded the NRA in 1871.

from
http://www.answers.com/topic/national-rifle-association-of-america?cat=biz-fin

The Brady Bill Law

* The Brady Bill was implemented on February 28, 1994. This law established a national 5 business day waiting period on handgun purchases through licensed dealers. It also required local authorities to conduct background checks on handgun purchasers. The majority of Democrats voted for this bill and the majority of Republicans voted against it. Bill Clinton signed it into law. (18)(19)

* In July of 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for the federal government to require states to perform Brady Bill background checks. At that point, 27 states had laws requiring similar background checks and 23 states did not. (20)

* As of December of 1998, an amendment to the Brady Bill replaced the five business day waiting period with a national "instant" felon ID system. Dealers are required to conduct this background check on all gun purchases, not just handgun purchases. This amendment was added to the Brady Bill before the law was voted out of Congress. The majority of Republicans voted for this amendment and the majority of Democrats voted against it. (18)(19)

information from
http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp

Private Firearm Ownership in the U.S. as of 1993/1994:

Percentage of Adults Owning a Gun
31%
Total number
59,100,000

Percentage of Households With a Gun
49%
Total number
47,600,000


From http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp

THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS

The right to keep and bear arms is derived from and inseparably linked to the right of self-defense. Thus, by nature it is an individually possessed right, as are all rights protected in our Constitution.

The Founding Fathers, the Framers of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and those whom the Supreme Court (U.S. v. Miller, 1939) referred to as “approved commentators” could not have been more clear about the nature of the right and the purpose of the Second Amendment.

Thomas Jefferson said, “No free man shall be debarred the use of arms.” Patrick Henry said, “The great object is, that every man be armed.” Richard Henry Lee wrote, “To preserve liberty it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms.” Thomas Paine noted, “[A]rms . . . discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property.”

Prominent Federalist Tench Coxe asked, “Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves?. . . Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American. . . . [T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.”

information taken from
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=83

Question

Why should the NRA be allowed to have such powerful roll in th legislation when the purpose of a special interest group is not to interfere.

Definition:

An interest group (also called an advocacy group, lobbying group, pressure group, or special interest) is a group, however loosely or tightly organized, that is determined to encourage or prevent changes in public policy without trying to be elected. The textbook used in class defines this as "An organization of people with shared ideas and attitudes who attempt to influence public policy."
definition taken from ~ -whitney.com/americancitizen/links/lobbies.htm