Thread: GOP Leadership holding up Rand Paul's gun protection amendme

Word is that the GOP leadership is holding up Senator Paul's amendment to protect law-abiding gun owners from the PATRIOT Act. As if that wasn't bad enough, we are also hearing that GOP leadership is lobbying other Republicans to oppose the amendment!

If you can, please help by contacting Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell at (202) 224-2541 and Senate minority whip Jon Kyl at (202) 224-4521 right now and demand that they stand with Rand on this amendment.

Contact Information:

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell at (202) 224-2541 via phone or via email at http://mcconnell.senate.gov

Senate minority whip Jon Kyl at (202) 224-4521 via phone or via email at http://kyl.senate.gov


Kathyet

Rand Paul's Controversial Gun Records Amendment May Get Patriot Act Vote After All

First Posted: 05/26/11 11:40 AM ET Updated: 05/26/11 01:16 PM ET

WASHINGTON -- Senate Democratic leadership seems poised to acquiesce to Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) demand that the chamber vote on an amendment that would restrict national security officials from examining gun dealer records in their efforts to track potential terrorists.

The Kentucky Republican had been insisting that such language at least receive a vote as an addition to the extension of the USA Patriot Act. As of Wednesday night, it appeared that he would be stymied.

By Thursday morning, however, the landscape had changed and multiple sources on the Hill confirmed to The Huffington Post that a vote on that amendment and one other would happen -- likely as a means of expediting passage of the Patriot Act's extension.

It's unclear whether the Paul amendment, which would restrict law enforcement from accessing firearm receipts, will have the 60 votes needed for passage. There are, certainly, objectors in the Senate. When Reid initially tried to get the amendment a vote, by packaging it with five others and asking for a unanimous consent (UC) agreement to bring it to the floor, he was stopped by members of his own party.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg's office confirmed on Thursday that the New Jersey Democrat had put a "hold" on the Paul amendment, thereby killing the UC agreement. An aide to the senator, Caley Gray, told The Huffington Post that "all options remain on the table" for stopping the language from being inserted into the Patriot Act's extension.

Additionally, Lautenberg has introduced an amendment of his own, this one to close the "terror gap" by giving federal authorities the power to block the selling of guns and explosives to individuals on the terrorist watch list. As of Thursday morning there was no word from Democratic leadership if that amendment, like Paul's, would get a vote.

The possible passage of Paul's amendment had left gun-control advocates nervous, spurring a last-minute effort by several groups to draw attention to, and condemnation of, the measure. Those efforts appeared to have reaped benefits when Lautenberg put the hold on the amendment and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) decided to bring the Patriot Act extension to the floor without it.

Why Reid reversed course isn't entirely clear, though the likelihood is that he and others (President Obama chief among them) felt that the benefits of getting the Patriot Act extended before it expires at midnight on Thursday outweighed the risks of tempting Paul to hold up the bill over his amendment. The possibility also exists, as one Senate aide speculated, that Reid knows the 60 votes aren't there for Paul's amendment to pass, and is comfortable letting it come to a vote if it means placating the Kentucky Republican.

UPDATE: Paul's Senate campaign committee put out a statement on Thursday saying that Republican leadership is now responsible for holding up his amendment and may be whipping support against it.
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Word is that the GOP leadership is holding up Senator Paul's amendment to protect law-abiding gun owners from the PATRIOT Act. As if that wasn't bad enough, we are also hearing that GOP leadership is lobbying other Republicans to oppose the amendment!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/2 ... 67458.html

National Ass. of Gun Rights Your calls are getting to Harry Reid!

Senior Senate sources told me this morning that Senate chief Harry Reid has buckled under the avalanche of phone calls from gun owners like you, and has promised to allow full votes on all amendments to the mis-named Patriot Act, INCLUDING Senator Rand Paul’s pro-gun amendment.

However, I’ve got some bad news.

Reid’s conspirators in Republican leadership are desperate to protect the Police-State that the Patriot Act enshrines, which is scheduled to expire tonight.

Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and Jon Kyl are blocking a vote on Senator Paul’s amendment which would protect gun owners from Patriot Act searches.

Clearly McConnell and Kyl didn’t get the message that gun owners sent in the last election.

They need to hear from you RIGHT NOW!

Please call Senator Mitch McConnell at (202) 224-2541 and Senator Jon Kyl at (202) 224-4521. Tell them that gun owners – and all Americans – demand a full up or down vote on Rand Paul’s pro-gun amendment to the mis-named Patriot Act.

Once you’ve called Republican leadership, please, call both your senators again. Even if you’ve already done it, they need to hear from you again.

Call Sen. Harry Reid at (202) 224-3542 and Sen. Dean Heller at (202) 224-6244 and demand they stand up for gun owners and support Rand Paul’s pro-gun amendment to the Patriot Act. Tell them that gun owners – and all Americans -- demand protection from the Patriot Act-Police state.

Please, don’t wait to make these calls.

Action on the Patriot Act will come this afternoon, and Republican leadership and your senators need to hear from you.

Right now…


For Liberty,

signature
Dudley Brown
Executive Director

P.S. Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and John Kyl are blocking a vote on Senator Paul’s amendment which would protect gun owners from Patriot Act searches.

Please call Senator Mitch McConnell at (202) 224-2541 and Senator Jon Kyl at (202) 224-4521. Tell them that gun owners – and all Americans – demand a full up or down vote on Rand Paul’s pro-gun amendment to the mis-named Patriot Act.

After you’ve done that, please call Sen. Harry Reid at (202) 224-3542 and Sen. Dean Heller at (202) 224-6244 and demand they stand up for gun owners and support Rand Paul’s pro-gun amendment to the Patriot Act. Tell them that gun owners – and all Americans -- demand protection from the Patriot Act-Police state.


Kathyet

There’s a Secret Patriot Act, Senator Says

News Link • Big Brother
There’s a Secret Patriot Act, Senator Says

05-26-2011 • Wired.com/

You may think you understand how the Patriot Act allows the government to spy on its citizens. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) says it’s worse than you’ve heard. Congress is set to reauthorize three controversial provisions of the surveillance law as early as Thursday. But Wyden says that what Congress will renew is a mere fig leaf for a far broader legal interpretation of the Patriot Act that the government keeps to itself — entirely in secret. Worse, there are hints that the government uses this secret interpretation to gather what one Patriot-watcher calls a “dragnetâ€

It is very important to understand that the 2nd and 4th amedments are crucial to our freedom...and the Patriot Act is a cancer on our society....


SPECIAL REPORT: Indiana Citizens Take Back 4th Amendment

05-26-11 • Reality Report
http://RTR.org | After the unconstitutional Indiana Supreme Court ruling removing the protections of the 4th Amendment, the people of Indiana spontaneously organized in a trans-partisan alliance uniting for the Constitution at their state capitol. Gary Franchi was on the scene to report. Become a member of the social network of the revolution, login with your Facebook or Twitter account at http://RTR.org/signup
Read Full Story
Reported by Uncle Freedom

report-indiana-citizens-take-back-4th-amendment.htm?From=News

http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/News/090 ... 6-special-

Video at this link

http://rtr.org/videos/2/21081




Kathyet

Not Backing Down

On Wednesday, Senator Rand Paul responded to Harry Reid's baseless attacks on his opposition to the misnamed "Patriot" Act and reiterated his defense of the Bill of Rights and the American people's privacy.


Video
Senator Rand Paul

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/

Senate Impasse Persists Over Patriot Act Reauthorization


Updated: May 26, 2011 | 3:04 p.m.
May 26, 2011 | 2:09 p.m.

Senate leaders hope to reach a deal setting up a series of votes on Thursday night in order to resolve an impasse that could allow three key Patriot Act provisions to lapse for seven hours on Friday.

There was no agreement byThursday afternoon, but Senate leadership aides -- who are used to resolving up disputes on Thursday nights before Senate recesses -- said that they cautiously anticipate a deal in time to allow both chambers to swiftly clear the bill. President Obama would then sign the legislation renewing authorization of the provisions set to expire for four more years.

Provisions in the bill authorize federal law enforcement officials to use roving wiretaps to track suspects who vary communications devices; to monitor suspected “lone wolvesâ€