As our viewers are aware, Firearm Industry Consulting Group (FICG), a division of Prince Law Offices, P.C., has declared Tuesday, September 3, 2013, as National Firearms Act (NFA) Day of Reckoning in in response to the recent proposal by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to implement Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) signatures for fictitious entity applicants, as well as, instituting a Responsible Person (RP) definition applicable to the different roles within those fictitious entities.
In effort to assist the NFA community, FICG has prepared several sample letters to be submitted to your State and Federal Representatives, as well as a sample letter for Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to submit to the US Small Business Administration. While you may believe this is strictly a federal issue, since it involves the National Firearms Act, as amended, the reality is that, if passed, this will result in a massive impact on state CLEOs, which will now have to review multiple applications for making or transferring an NFA firearm, as each RP of the fictitious entity will be required to obtain his/her CLEO’s signature. Therefore, all state legislatures must be informed and aware of the impact on their state from this proposed rule.
Before simply sending out the sample letters that FICG has drafted and which are downloadable below, we are asking that you take time to review the sample letter and modify it, explaining your own background and circumstances, how this proposed rule, if enacted, would effect you and include other personalization, especially if you have a prior relationship with your Representative. Form letters have very little impact on our Representatives. Therefore, it is imperative that we ALL take the time to ensure that our Representatives are aware that we took time and effort in preparing the communication and expect a coherent and thoughtful response. You should also be extremely clear to all of your Representatives that you are their constituent and their decision on this matter will have an effect on the next election cycle.
PLEASE NOTE: The comment period has not begun and these are preemptive letters to be submitted. When the comment period begins, FICG will again attempt to help provide sample letters and guidance on submission of comments.
You can find the name and contact information for your Federal Senator here – http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm. You can download a sample copy of the letter FICG has prepared for Senators here.
You can find the name and contact information for your Federal Representatives here – http://www.house.gov/representatives/. You can download a sample copy of the letter FICG has prepared for House Representatives here.
For your State Senators and Representatives (and other State Officials), you should perform a web search, which should result in you being able to determine you state representatives by submitting your zipcode. You can download a sample copy of the letter FICG has prepared for your State Representatives and Officials here.
For individuals who have been denied a CLEO signature, you can download a sample copy of the letter FICG has prepared for you to submit to the ATF here.
For FFLs, you can download a sample copy of the letter FICG has prepared for you to submit to the SBA here.
As you can see, if the NFA community stands together, in solidarity, we can successfully oppose ATF’s new initiative and ensure that our grandchildren still have the same rights and protections that we currently enjoy.
As part of our logo reflects, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” There is no doubt that we have a lot of work ahead of us, but it is nothing that our forefathers didn’t have to fight for and give their lives for. Let us not forget. Let us always remain vigilant. And most importantly, let us not lose faith. In Hoc Signo Vinces.
While I appreciate Prince Law Offices and the Firearms Industry Consulting Group’s work in regard to the latest proposed changes to the NFA, I strongly object to the statement in their proposed letters to Congress and the SBA…stating that the ATF should be devoting its resources to unregistered firearms is way off-base; if they meant something different, explain clearly! Let’s no cut off our nose in spite of our face. The NFATCA has already made that mistake.
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Brian, I believe that the reference to “unregistered firearms” was meant to be “unregistered NFA firearms”. It is illegal to possess an unregistered NFA item. I do not think that the intent was to have all firearms registered, but to have the ATF go after those that have the illegal firearms.
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