- This week, the U.S. Senate passed S. 1438, the Department
of Defense (DoD) annual authorization bill, which contains a provision
that is of grave concern to hunters and sport shooters.
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- Section 1062 of this bill provides the Secretary of
Defense
with the authority to require "demilitarization" of any
"significant
military equipment" that has ever been owned by the DoD. This would
include all firearms (such as the venerable M1, M1 Carbine, and Model 1911,
as well as all Civilian Marksmanship Program rifles, even
"sporterized"
surplus bolt-action Springfields!); firearm parts such as barrels, bolts,
triggers, firing pins, sights, etc.; ammunition and ammunition components;
and firearm accessories such as cleaning rods, oilers, and even cleaning
brushes.
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- "Demilitarization" is the term for rendering
such items permanently inoperable, and Sec. 1062 allows for this action
to be carried out either by the owner or a third party, with the owner
paying the cost, or by the DoD.
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- However, if the DoD determines it should perform the
demilitarization, it can also determine that the cost of returning the
demilled item is prohibitive, then simply keep the item, and reimburse
the owner only for the fair market scrap value of the item.
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- Furthermore, this new authority would require private
citizens to determine for themselves if an item they own is subject to
demilitarization, and face criminal penalties for non-compliance. The DoD
would be under no obligation to notify law-abiding citizens that items
they have lawfully owned for years, and perhaps that their families have
owned for generations, are suddenly subject to forced
demilitarization.
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- This becomes extremely significant when one considers
that U.S. military surplus has been "regularly and legally"
bought,
sold, and traded for centuries. Countless Americans own items that could
be subject to Sec. 1062. It is likely millions of law-abiding Americans
would be affected, and could unknowingly become criminals overnight without
having done anything or having ever been informed.
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- The DoD already has the authority and responsibility
to demilitarize any item it sells as surplus, so there is absolutely no
reason to seek new authority to confiscate and destroy lawfully sold and
lawfully owned items that are now the property of private citizens.
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- Be sure to contact your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121,
and your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121, and urge them to strike
Sec. 1062 from S. 1438, the "National Defense Authorization Act for
FY 2002." the "National Defense Authorization Act for FY
2002."
Act Today - Or Lose Your Heritage
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- This notification brought to you as a courtesy to the
gun-owning community by the Illinois State Rifle Association.
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