Gun Owners of America

Download the official letter here.

To: The Honorable Mike Johnson
Speaker
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515  From: Tim Macy
President and Chairman of the Board
Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 202
Springfield, Virginia, 22151 

 

RE: Dispelling Common Law Enforcement Misconceptions About Constitutional Concealed Carry and Our Second Amendment Rights 

25 November 2025 

Dear Speaker Mike Johnson, 

I write to you today on behalf of more than two million members and supporters of Gun Owners of America to support Representative Richard Hudson’s H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025, against the unwarranted and ill-considered criticisms of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).1 

After decades of unconstitutional attacks, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act is necessary to restore the Second Amendment right to carry a firearm for self-defense nationwide and without fear of harassment by law enforcement in anti-gun states.2 The FOP supports nearly identical protections for law enforcement to carry firearms nationwide, yet it opposes those same protections for ordinary Americans here.3 That smacks of hypocrisy and elitism. “Shall not be infringed” does not just apply to law enforcement – it is the God-given, constitutionally protected right of the People!4  

Gun Owners of America has always supported Constitutional Carry.5 As we fought to expand permitless carry from Vermont to the present 29 Constitutional Carry states, we have consistently dealt with the same law enforcement “concerns” as are being raised by the FOP now. Historically, anti-gun law enforcement organizations have almost always raised “public safety” concerns with permitless concealed carry. In reality, those concerns have never panned out in states that have enacted GOA-backed Constitutional Carry legislation.6 Permitless carry did not make any of the 29 Constitutional Carry states any more dangerous, and neither will H.R. 38 decrease public safety nationwide.  

It must be understood that the FOP has taken a minority position among law enforcement officers, who overwhelmingly support the Second Amendment right to carry. A 2021 survey of chiefs of police and sheriffs nationwide showed almost 90% of respondents supporting concealed carry reciprocity.7 Furthermore, a survey of more than 14,000 police officers proved that the majority of rank-and-file law enforcement believe that “armed citizens” are the most effective way to stop mass shootings.8 On behalf of the millions of gun owners and law enforcement officials who support the Second Amendment, we will address and correct each of the Fraternal Order of Police’s concerns.  

States Do Not Have a Right to Infringe on the Second Amendment 

First, the FOP claims that H.R. 38 would “strip states of their ability to set and enforce their own standards for concealed carry” such as unconstitutional gun, magazine, and ammunition bans.9 But, those states never had constitutional authority to set those restrictions in the first place. This bill restores the right to carry firearms nationwide, which “shall not be infringed” even by the states.10 Hypocritically, the FOP has also endorsed a bill that would override unconstitutional state gun control laws in a nearly identical manner to H.R. 38—but only for law enforcement.  

In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee earlier this year, FOP President Patrick Yoes praised the LEOSA Reform Act for exempting law enforcement officers from state and local restrictions on concealed-carry firearms and magazine capacities, stating it would remove conflict and confusion for those constituents. Going even further, the LEOSA Reform Act allows eligible persons to carry within federal buildings, a step beyond what H.R. 38 would allow. But the Second Amendment does not grant special privileges to law enforcement. Congress should protect and restore the right to carry handguns free from local gun, magazine, and ammunition bans for all the People—not just police. 

H.R. 38 Does Not Prevent Police from Conducting Lawful Investigations 

Next, the FOP misleadingly asserts that H.R. 38 “prohibits law enforcement officers from making any arrest or detaining a suspect for any violation of state or local laws pertaining to the possession, transportation or carriage of a firearm.”11 But nothing in H.R. 38 will prohibit officers (1) from making lawful arrests of criminals and prohibited persons who are carrying firearms illegally or (2) from enforcing the many local firearms laws that are not preempted by the bill.12  

FOP further misleadingly states that H.R. 38 prevents the “securing of a firearm from a person” while investigating “other criminal activity unrelated to the firearm.”13 This is also incorrect, as H.R. 38 only prohibits the detention or arrest of those engaged in the lawful possession, transportation, or carrying of a firearm. Officers may still, consistent with the Second and Fourth Amendments, secure firearms during the lawful investigation of “other suspected criminal activity” that is unrelated to firearm possession, transportation, or carrying.14 To use the FOP’s example, if police pull a driver over or determine that a “driver is impaired,” nothing will prohibit the police from investigating or making a lawful arrest for driving under the influence. 

H.R. 38 Does Not Override the Gun Free School Zones Act 

The FOP also misstates that H.R. 38 would override “laws such as carriage in school zones.”15 This is blatantly false. In no way does this language prohibit law enforcement from arresting persons with a firearm in a school zone in accordance with state and federal law. H.R. 38 makes no changes to the federal regulatory scheme prohibiting the possession of a firearm in a school zone, which categorically excludes out-of-state permit holders and permitless carry from its exemption.16 Further, as H.R. 38 states, “[t]his section shall not be construed to supersede or limit the laws of any State that … prohibit(s) or restrict(s) the possession of firearms on any State or Local government property, installation, building, or base.”17 Hypocritically, the FOP does support overriding the Gun Free School Zones Act, but only for its own members.18 

Identifying Lawful Concealed Carry Is No More Difficult than Identifying Valid Driver’s Licenses Under H.R. 38 

The FOP complains that “law enforcement [will be] unable to confirm lawful possession during encounters [with gun owners], creating confusion.”19 HowHowever, verification of nonresident concealed carry permits is not a problem in the 39 states that have some degree of concealed carry reciprocity already.20 Officers will be able to confirm the lawful permitless carry of a firearm as quickly as they are able to confirm the validity of an out-of-state driver’s license, something law enforcement does nationwide almost a million times per day.21 

For example, FOP specifically raises concerns about a hypothetical scenario where “a driver from Vermont… is stopped by a Virginia State Trooper.” In Virginia, it is lawful to openly carry a firearm without a permit. So, respecting the permitless concealed carry law of the Vermont resident is as easy as applying Virginia’s open carry policy.  

H.R. 38 Will Not Decrease Officer Safety; It Will Increase Public Safety 

The FOP unnecessarily worries about the “impact on officer safety” that might be caused by increased “encounter[s with] armed citizens when responding to a disturbance call or making a traffic stop.”22 Ironically, a recent study in Texas and Florida revealed that “concealed carry permit holders are convicted of misdemeanors and felonies at less than one-sixth the rate for police officers.”23 Furthermore, there has been no demonstrable decrease in officer safety in any of the 29 states that have enacted permitless concealed carry regimes.24  

The FOP also fails to take into consideration any of the benefits of an armed citizenry to law enforcement. In fact, there are several instances in which police officers’ lives have been saved by good Samaritans carrying concealed firearms: 

• Cody Deeter of Whatcom County, Washington stepped in to assist Deputies Jason Thompson and Ryan Rathbun after both were shot responding to a neighborhood dispute. Deeter engaged Deputy Thompson and Deputy Rathbun’s attacker and then dragged the first officer to cover until backup arrived.25  

• In Youngtown, Arizona, State Trooper Ed Andersson was struck by a bullet on Interstate 10 at 4:30 AM. He was then charged and pinned down by the perpetrator, who attempted to take his gun. He was saved by Thomas Yoxall, a good Samaritan who pulled over to assist by shooting Trooper Andersson’s attacker. Trooper Andersson would have had no way to call for backup fighting with the man, and he states that while the encounter only lasted minutes, he “probably wouldn’t be here (if not for him).”26  

• Deputy Bardes of Fort Myers, Florida was attacked by a man on Interstate 75 when a Concealed Weapons Permit holder pulled over and assisted the Deputy by shooting the assailant. Sheriff Scott of Fort Myers publicly praised the anonymous individual for saving the Deputy’s life.27  

For police officers working in expansive jurisdictions such as rural areas, highways, or large counties, police backup may be miles and minutes away, but armed private citizens can be much nearer. In fact, the 2021 National Firearms Survey estimates that there were 1,670,000 instances of defensive gun uses (DGUs), with 65% of DGUs being with handguns. 28 The reality is police officers would not be able to respond to a fraction of these instances of defensive gun usage. Nor would they be able to respond at the same time to prevent any potential loss of life.  

Eli Dicken is a perfect example of a concealed carrier who responded to and ended a mass shooting in an Indiana mall within two minutes.29 Greenwood Police Chief James Ison credited Dicken with saving lives by quickly taking action. Chief Ison’s belief is not an isolated one either. This is why a nationwide survey of chiefs of police and sheriffs showed that 83% of respondents believe qualified, law-abiding armed citizens can help law enforcement reduce violent crime.30 

H.R. 38 Will Not Affect Officers Unless They Infringe on the Second Amendment 

Finally, the FOP opposes H.R. 38 because it “seems to cancel any qualified immunity for the officer.” The FOP acknowledges that qualified immunity does not protect officers if “they violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights,” yet is concerned that H.R. 38 might put officers “in very real legal peril.”31 

The Second Amendment is a clearly established constitutional right. Depriving any person of that right SHOULD be met with “very real legal peril.” This exemption for gun owners does not end qualified immunity for police officers. Rather, it protects gun owners from overzealous anti-gun states that wish to hide behind blanket immunity to harass citizens and infringe on their rights.32 

In conclusion, Congress should reject the Fraternal Order of Police’s ill-considered “concerns.” The vast majority of law enforcement officers support the Second Amendment right to bear arms for self-defense in public—a right that H.R. 38 seeks to restore for interstate travel. Therefore, we urge you to stand with gun owners and the majority of law enforcement in support of Representative Richard Hudson’s GOA-backed Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025.  

In Liberty, 

Tim Macy
President and Chairman of the Board
Gun Owners of America 

Download the official letter here.

Gun Owners of America and Gun Owners Foundation Declare DOJ Brief an Open Attack on the Second Amendment and the Constitution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2025

Springfield, VA — Late last night, the Department of Justice filed an outrageous brief that embraces an alarmingly expansive theory of federal authority. In responding to GOA and GOF’s “One, Big, Beautiful Lawsuit,” the DOJ treats Congress’ removal of the historic $200 tax as a pretext to rewrite the limits of congressional power, advancing an argument that would open the door to federal regulation far beyond anything the Framers intended.

GOA and GOF condemn Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) for doubling down on enforcement of an archaic and unconstitutional law while simultaneously offering legal theories that would expand federal power to historic levels. This is especially striking from an administration that had promised to respect the Second Amendment and review burdensome agency rules.

The implications of DOJ’s stance are immediate and ominous. If the brief’s logic is accepted, courts could bless a framework under which Congress and federal agencies regulate—or effectively ban—common firearms and accessories by treating formalistic features (like a $0 tax) as sufficient legal cover. That outcome would run contrary to recent Supreme Court statements that the Second Amendment protects private arms possession.

GOA and our partners are demanding the Department of Justice to publicly explain and retract all portions of the brief that advance a limitless theory of federal power. We are also calling on members of Congress who claim fidelity to constitutional limits to demand the DOJ abandon this dangerous theory. The coalition that GOA and GOF have created will vigorously press our case in court and before the public, as we will not allow this administration to normalize a theory of unlimited and unchecked federal power that threatens the right to keep and bear arms.

GOA, GOF, Palmetto State Armory, the Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition, Silencer Shop, and B & T USA brought this challenge to vindicate the Second Amendment and end the continued enforcement of an antiquated regulatory scheme. Our original lawsuit was joined by a coalition of 15 states including Texas, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of Gun Owners of America, issued the following statement:

“This brief is federal overreach on steroids. If courts accept the government’s argument, Congress could claim the power to regulate virtually anything, including firearms, on the thinnest of statutory pretexts. That’s not conservative jurisprudence. This is authoritarianism cloaked in legalese. Make no mistake, this reads exactly like something the Biden administration would have produced.”

John Velleco, Executive Vice President of Gun Owners Foundation, issued the following statement:

“We weren’t exactly optimistic about the Department of Justice’s reply in our One, Big, Beautiful Lawsuit, but the brief they filed was far worse than anything we anticipated. We had hoped Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Trump Administration would seize this moment to become the most pro–Second Amendment presidency in history, but so far they’ve fumbled the ball. We will continue to fight to gut the National Firearms Act, and we’re confident our legal arguments will stand.”

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization representing over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.

-GOA-

Crossing a State Line Shouldn’t Make You a Felon

GOA’s Aidan Johnston (left) discussed plans to bring concealed carry reciprocity to the House floor with Speaker Mike Johnson.

Right now, your Second Amendment rights are under siege in anti-gun states across America. But you have a powerful opportunity to fight back by supporting H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.

H.R. 38 would finally ensure that your concealed carry permit is honored in every state across the country, just like your ability to drive a car. No more worrying about crossing state lines and becoming a felon simply for exercising your right to self-defense.

But the gun control lobby is fighting tooth and nail to kill this common-sense bill. They want to leave law-abiding gun owners like you vulnerable to anti-gun politicians and bureaucrats.

That’s why we need you to act right now.

Sign the letter urging your Members of Congress to support and co-sponsor H.R. 38!

Every signature makes our voice louder, and Congress cannot ignore a tidal wave of patriotic Americans demanding action.

Your rights don’t end at the state line. Stand with GOA, and let’s make Constitutional Carry reciprocity the law of the land.

Congress Dropped the Tax. GOA Is Dropping the Hammer.

GOA filed the One, Big, Beautiful Lawsuit to tear down the unconstitutional NFA registration regime. The Department of Justice is being forced to defend this law in court, and they must respond to us by November 20th.

This is history in the making. Now that Congress eliminated the NFA’s $200 tax, the so-called “constitutional” foundation for this gun control monstrosity is gone. The federal government has NOTHING left to stand on except its own bureaucratic power grab. And GOA is ready to tear it down, for good.

But this fight will NOT be cheap. Our legal team urgently needs your backing to continue moving forward. Filing this lawsuit, battling the DOJ, and seeing it through to victory will cost at least $500,000.

Will you chip in $25, $50, $100, or whatever you can NOW to gut the NFA’s registration requirements?

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, Erich. For 91 years, the NFA has trampled your rights. Weak-kneed Senators in Congress dropped the tax, but refused to fire the Parliamentarian and left the registration regime in place.

GOA is doing what they wouldn’t: cracking the NFA wide open and fighting to erase its unconstitutional registration mandates, forever.

Time is running out. Our lawsuit is filed. The DOJ’s deadline is set – and the district judge has ordered the agency to reply to our legal brief by this Thursday. So the only thing left is for YOU to help us finish the fight.

Let’s show Washington that “shall not be infringed” means exactly what it says. Rush your support today. Help GOA destroy the NFA for good!

Constitutional Carry in North Carolina continues to be the can that’s kicked down the road.

The NC House’s vote on SB 50, Freedom to Carry, still remains in limbo despite months of rescheduling. With the end of the session rapidly approaching, it’s now more important than ever to hold a vote for the legislation.

Recording a vote is not only an opportunity for a massive 2A win, but also a tool of accountability; we need to know where our elected representatives truly stand on this issue, even if the bill fails to move forward.

We’re asking that you direct your attention towards the NC House Speaker Destin Hall, and demand a recorded vote of SB50.

You can reach Speaker Hall by calling (919) 733-3451, or emailing Destin.Hall@ncleg.gov

A recorded vote on SB 50 is the bare minimum North Carolinians deserve. Whether representatives choose to uphold Constitutional Carry or side with the Governor’s veto, their decisions must be on the record.

This is our chance to secure real accountability and push for a long-overdue victory for the Second Amendment in North Carolina. Please take a moment to contact Speaker Destin Hall and demand that SB 50 receive a recorded vote before the session ends!

 

PA House Set to Vote on Electronic Gun Registry

The anti-gun Democrats never stop! On Wednesday, November 12th, the House Judiciary Committee voted 14 to 12, strictly along party lines, to advance a dangerous bill to the House floor—possibly as soon as next week—that would create an electronic gun registry in Pennsylvania!

Sneaky Democrats, led by Chairman Briggs, added an amendment to try and cover their tracks—an amendment that simply reaffirms what’s already true: that creating a registry is illegal. Meanwhile, they are voting to do exactly that. We will not be fooled.

HB 1891 (Bellmon) will set up all the conditions necessary for the Pennsylvania State Police to enhance their so-called “Record of Sale” system which is nothing more than a backdoor gun registry.

Gun owners across Pennsylvania are not deceived by the rhetoric claiming that the Pennsylvania State Police “Firearm Application/Record of Sale” form (SP4-113) is not a handgun registry. We know better. And HB 1891 would allow the efficient collection of any additional data the government would decide to ask for at the point of sale using this electronic form.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the Democrats already passed Universal Background Check legislation in the House. If that bill and HB 1891 were signed into law, all firearms transactions in Pennsylvania would be electronically centralized and stored by the Pennsylvania State Police.

Make no mistake, the House Democrats are implementing Bloomberg’s agenda to register and track all firearms sales in Pennsylvania. And history informs us that when guns are registered, confiscation eventually occurs.

And this isn’t the first attempt to establish an electronic gun registry. In 2024, GOA members defeated a similar bill on the House floor. We can do so again if all gun owners take action.

That’s why I need you to send a message to your state representative right away, using the form above urging them to vote AGAINST HB 1891. Let’s defeat the electronic gun registry bill once more.

Virginia Gun Owners: The War is not Over

I won’t mince words here. We lost a battle on November 4th, and the situation in Virginia is dire.

Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi, and Jay Jones will soon be sworn into power, and you can bet they are already plotting to strip Virginians of their Second Amendment rights.

Under Governor Youngkin, we dodged a slew of bullets when he vetoed over 27 anti-gun bills. Gov-elect Spanberger will not hesitate to reward her gun control extremists friends. And keep this frightening fact in mind: according to Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action “former volunteers make up 20 percent of the Virginia House Democratic Caucus.”

Let that sink in.

A group of radical anti-gun Democrats now control the Governor’s office, the General Assembly, and the Senate. With Lt. Governor-elect Hashmi able to break ties in the Senate, there is effectively no firewall to stop gun-control legislation.

In 2019-2020, Democrats voted unanimously for every gun-control bill and against every pro-gun bill. In 2026, you can expect the same.

The bills we will be fighting, from a semi-auto ban, red flag laws, gun owner registration and more, are unconstitutional, dangerous, and obviously designed to disarm law-abiding Virginians like you.

This is the un-sugarcoated bad news. Things will likely get worse before they get better. Like I said, we lost a battle.

But things WILL get better, because the war is not over!

Because the Commonwealth is still filled with Patriots like you.

Unfortunately, too many of them stayed home on election day. But they’re still out there, and with your help, we intend to bring them back into the fold.

There Will Be Another Election!

We already have our eye on the crucial 2027 elections, when the entire Virginia Senate as well as the Assembly, will be on the ballot.

It could be tempting to throw up one’s hands in disgust, but what we really need to do is put our hands the plow.

The only way to stop the gun-control agenda long-term is to elect leaders who respect the Second Amendment. And that takes work.

Democrats flipped 13 seats this year. Many of those, and possibly some others, can flip the other way.

Do you remember the Lobby Day in Richmond in 2020, hosted by our friends at VCDL, after the bloodbath we took in the 2019 election?

Over 50,000 gun owners showed up, the largest gun-rights rally in American history.

And in the subsequent election, 7 anti-gunners were thrown out of office.

The next Lobby Day is January 19, 2026, starting at 8 a.m., with a rally at the Bell Tower at 11 a.m.

GOA will be there, and I hope you will be, too.

“We’ll See You in Court”

GOA and its partners are already reviewing legal strategies. While we don’t make these conversations public, we can share GOA’s a few recent legal victories, including a huge one right here in Virgina:

• In Virginia, our legal team got the state’s Universal Registration Checks struck down.
• In Tennessee, we convinced a three-judge panel to turn entire state into the 29th Constitutional Carry state. We are now defending that victory on appeal.
• And legal victories from New York to California have now made it easier for GOA members to travel armed across the country.
  Litigation is expensive, but we can win, and we do win.

We Must Take Action NOW

Virginia’s gun owners cannot afford to wait. Spanberger, Hashmi, and Jones are ready to push their extreme gun-control agenda.

We need your immediate support to fight back. 2026 is going to be a busy, brutal year and we must have the resources to fight:

And between now and November 30th, anyone can also enter into this GOA Sweepstakes!

The future of the Second Amendment in Virginia is in your hands. Stand with GOA today as we prepare for upcoming court battles and future elections.

Thanks to the tireless leadership of Congressman Andrew Clyde, the NFA tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and other NFA items will drop to $0 next year. In the NFA’s 91-year history, no one else has taken this big of a step to repeal the tax.

Clyde was the driving force behind this, one of the greatest Second Amendment victories in nearly a century. It’s a devastating blow against the ATF’s war on your gun rights.

It all started on January 19th, when Rep. Clyde sat before the House Ways and Means Committee on “Member Day.” His bold pitch? Completely eliminate the unconstitutional NFA tax on suppressors and short-barreled firearms.

Some weak-kneed Republicans wanted to settle for a $5 tax. Clyde refused.

Citing Chief Justice John Marshall’s 1819 warning that “the power to tax involves the power to destroy,” Clyde fought tooth and nail — in the Budget Committee, the Rules Committee, and even on the House floor at 4:00 AM — to permanently repeal this abusive tax.

This historic win will save gun owners more than $140 million a year in government extortion fees — and it lays the groundwork to dismantle NFA registration entirely.

JUST YESTERDAY, Clyde took the fight even further.

Congressman Clyde and 30 House Republicans sent a letter urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to disavow the National Firearms Act of 1934 as unconstitutional.

Gun Owners of America is already suing now that Congress has set the so-called “tax” to $0 and the Justice Department’s reply to our lawsuit is due by November 13th.

But while this monumental victory is worth celebrating, the fight isn’t over. Andrew Clyde is now under attack.

I hope you will go here right now and chip in just $25, or whatever you feel you can afford right now, to help Andrew Clyde continue to be a pro-gun fighter in the House of Representatives.

Two establishment-backed, anti-gun Republicans have jumped into the race, fueled by more than $500,000 from deep-pocketed donors who want to unseat him. These RINOs won’t fight for your gun rights — they’ll sell them out.

Clyde, on the other hand, has spent over 30 years in the firearms industry and even owns a gun store. He knows exactly what’s at stake and exactly what gun owners need.

Now he needs us.

You can get Clyde the help he deserves by volunteering for his campaign or making a financial contribution.

If Clyde loses, gun owners lose one of our strongest fighters in the House. He’s a no-compromise warrior who’s earned an A+ rating from Gun Owners of America. Meaning he’s never voted for gun control.

But Clyde can’t do this alone. We need to stand up for him because he’s standing up for us.

That is why I hope you go here right now and chip in just $25, or whatever you feel you can afford right now, to help Andrew Clyde.

With President Donald Trump urging the U.S. Senate to do away with the filibuster to put an end to the government shutdown, one gun-rights group is sounding the alarm on that proposal.

On November 4, Gun Owners of America (GOA) issued a national alert encouraging members to “save” the filibuster for the good of the Second Amendment.

“President Donald Trump is calling on the Senate to use the ‘nuclear option’ and eliminate the filibuster to reopen the government,” the GOA Senior Vice President Erich Pratt wrote in the alert. “Destroying the filibuster would be a disaster for the Second Amendment. The truth is, the filibuster is the critical tool that GOA has used for years to defeat mandatory gun registration, bans on common firearms, crushing restrictions on gun shows, national gun confiscation laws and countless other gun-grabbing schemes.”

As Pratt further noted, if the filibuster is nuked, there will be nothing left to stop a flood of anti-gun legislation in the future.

“If the filibuster falls, no matter who demands it, the gun control crowd in Congress will ram every radical gun control bill into law,” Pratt wrote. “That’s why your action is absolutely critical, right now. I need you to send a message to your senators today. Tell them: Protect the filibuster and don’t give up the ONE tool that’s topped gun control for decades! Enshrine the filibuster into law.”

In the alert, GOA gave its members and other gun owners the opportunity to sign on to a prewritten letter explaining to senators the importance of the filibuster to the protection of the Second Amendment.

“As a proud gun owner and constituent, I’m urging you to take bold action to preserve the Senate filibuster, a tool responsible for stopping wave after wave of radical gun control,” the letter states. “For decades, the filibuster has been the ONLY thing standing between the American people and dangerous attempts to force mandatory gun registration, bans on commonly-owned firearms, and federal restrictions on gun shows.”

The letter then encourages senators to protect the filibuster because of its importance to gun rights, not nuke it as President Trump is suggesting.

“Senator, I’m calling on you to enshrine the filibuster into law, making it permanent and untouchable,” the letter states. “Make the filibuster the law of the land—by constitutional amendment, if need be—so that NO future Senate majority, Republican or Democrat, can shred the rights of millions with a single vote.”

The GOA national alert warned that if Senate Democrats don’t help make the filibuster federal law, immediate action must be taken on some top 2A priorities.

“If anti-gun Democrats refuse to make the filibuster permanent, it only confirms their tyrannical plans down the road,” Pratt wrote. “Then Republicans should nuke it first and pass nationwide carry and repeal federal gun control.”

Originally published by Mark Chesnut for The Truth About Guns. Read the full story ›

Gun Owners of America Wins in Memphis—Judge Declares City’s Illegal Gun Control Ordinance “Dead as a Doornail”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 7, 2025

Memphis, TN — Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) are celebrating a major victory for Tennessee gun owners after the Shelby County Chancery Court rejected the City of Memphis’ unconstitutional and illegal gun-control ordinance.

In its ruling, the Court made clear that Memphis’ sweeping local gun restrictions were not just unlawful—but entirely void.

The following are two major points outlined in the order:

1. The City CONCEDED its ordinance violates state law.
   Memphis admitted that every line of its handgun-carry ban, vehicle-storage rule, so-called “assault rifle” ban, and red-flag scheme is 100% illegal under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1314. (Order pp. 3, 9–11)
2. The Judge called the ordinance “DEAD AS A DOORNAIL.”
   The Chancellor wrote that “The Ordinance and those who proposed it engaged in ‘virtue signaling,’” but “the Ordinance is as dead as a proverbial doornail as a matter of Tennessee law.” (Order p. 6)

Simply put, the Memphis ordinance is entirely unenforceable.

Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of Gun Owners of America, issued the following statement:

“Memphis may be known as ‘Bluff City,’ but this ridiculous ordinance is a textbook example of a city passing an illegal law just to make a political point. Of course, Memphis was bluffing—and waved the white flag the moment GOA walked into court. The judge simply read their surrender out loud. Litigation like this is critical to defending law-abiding gun owners from reckless and unconstitutional actions by local politicians. Memphis’s deceitful ‘virtue signaling’ endangered residents and visitors alike, exposing them to unlawful prosecution. Such abuses have no place in a constitutional republic.”

John Velleco, Executive Vice President of Gun Owners Foundation, issued the following statement:

“Memphis just got schooled in Gun Law 101: You can’t ‘virtue-signal’ your way around a state preemption statute. The City admitted its ordinance is illegal, the judge branded it ‘dead as a proverbial doornail,’ and the court stamped it ‘not enforceable—full stop.’”

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.

-GOA-

PA House Judiciary Committee to Vote on Electronic Gun Registry Bill

The anti-gun Democrats are at it again! On Wednesday, November 12th, the House Judiciary Committee will vote on a dangerous bill that would create an electronic gun registry in Pennsylvania.

HB 1891 (Bellmon) will set up all the conditions necessary for the Pennsylvania State Police to enhance their so-called “Record of Sale” system which is nothing more than a backdoor gun registry.

Gun owners across Pennsylvania are not fooled by the rhetoric claiming that the Pennsylvania State Police “Firearm Application/Record of Sale” form (SP4-113) is not a handgun registry. We know better. And HB 1891 would allow the efficient collection of any additional data the government would decide to ask for at the point of sale using this electronic form.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the Democrats already passed Universal Background Check legislation in the House. If that bill and HB 1891 were signed into law, all firearms transactions in Pennsylvania would be electronically centralized and stored by the Pennsylvania State Police.

Make no mistake, the House Democrats are implementing Bloomberg’s agenda to register and track all firearms sales in Pennsylvania. And history informs us that when guns are registered, confiscation eventually occurs.

And this isn’t the first attempt to establish an electronic gun registry. In 2024, GOA members defeated a similar bill on the House floor. We can do so again if all gun owners take action.

That’s why I need you to send a message to your state representative right away (using the form above), urging them to vote AGAINST HB 1891. Let’s defeat the electronic gun registry bill once more.

President Donald Trump is calling on the Senate to use the “nuclear option” and eliminate the filibuster to reopen the government.

Destroying the filibuster would be a disaster for the Second Amendment. The truth is, the filibuster is the critical tool that GOA has used for years to DEFEAT:

• Mandatory gun registration
• Bans on common firearms
• Crushing restrictions on gun shows
• National gun confiscation laws
• And countless other gun-grabbing schemes

If the filibuster falls, no matter who demands it, the gun control crowd in Congress will ram every radical gun control bill into law.

If the filibuster is nuked, there will be nothing left to stop a flood of anti-gun legislation.

That’s why your action is absolutely critical, right now, Erich. I need you to send a message to your senators today. Tell them: Protect the filibuster and don’t give up the ONE tool that’s stopped gun control for decades! Enshrine the filibuster into law.

If anti-gun Democrats refuse to make the filibuster permanent, it only confirms their tyrannical plans down the road. Then Republicans should nuke it first and pass nationwide carry and repeal federal gun control.

Send a letter to your senators encouraging them to support codifying the filibuster into law.

Election day is tomorrow.

We’re asking that you make arrangements to vote, and remind your friends and family to do the same.

This election is incredibly important for gun rights; some of the highest positions of the state government are at stake, and protections for firearms are at serious risk because of anti-2A politicians.

GOA is proud to endorse candidate Winsome Earle-Sears for Governor.

Earle-Sears has demonstrated strongly throughout her tenure as VA’s Lieutenant Governor that the Second Amendment will be respected and protected in this state.

She’s made it clear that as Governor, she will do what is necessary to stop antigun bills such as assault weapon bans and red flag laws in their tracks, as well as push forward legislation that will restore and enforce gun rights in the Commonwealth.

Winsome excelled when it came to Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) candidate surveys, exemplifying her awareness and commitment to a wide variety of gun rights issues.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Make sure that you go out and vote, and support pro-2A candidates ballot box.

Use the state’s voter portal to confirm your registration by visiting https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation. You can check your registration status and find your polling place.

Tomorrow November 4, Election Day, polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. across the Commonwealth.

Your voice matters now more than ever; please consider standing up for your rights, defending the Second Amendment, and helping keep Virginia a state that values freedom and self-reliance.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and the DOJ have a trick up their sleeve: they want Firearms Policy Coalition and Second Amendment Foundation’s membership lists, all under the guise of “protecting” their members in a recent lawsuit. Thankfully, FPC and SAF refused to comply.

But this is alarming.

When the government has a list of people who belong to gun rights organizations, they effectively have a list of gun owners, which is the very start of a national registry. And we all know a registry can – and will – lead to confiscation.

It’s only a matter of time before the DOJ tries to exert its influence on GOA and attempts to obtain our membership list (which they’ll NEVER receive).

GOA has spent decades fighting government overreach, from the ATF’s pistol brace ban to the NFA’s unconstitutional restrictions. We’ve never backed down, and we’re not starting now.

But we need your help to fight this registration scheme with everything we’ve got.

It may take years. It may take an anti-gun, Democrat administration taking the reins. But eventually, these lists of gun owners will be abused – in the same way that gun registration in NY City during the 1960s led to gun confiscation in the 1990s.

Your donation ensures our legal team is ready to fight back against the registration scheme once the government comes for GOA’s membership list.

They’re not just coming for our membership lists, they’re coming for YOU.

Every gun owner. Every Second Amendment supporter. Every American who believes “shall not be infringed” means what it says.

We won’t let them win.

Attorney General Miyares is still attacking gun rights wins in Virginia.

Call his office at
(804) 786-2071, or tag him on X @JasonMiyaresVA

We recently informed you of how Attorney General Jason Miyares is challenging our big 2A wins.

Despite informing you and other GOA members to contact his office and tag him on social media, he’s not responding or changing course on any of the antigun actions we’re facing.

To recap, Miyares has done the following over the past month alone:

• Chose to defend Virginia’s unconstitutional One Handgun a Month law by making excuses for the drawn-out, discretionary permit process
• Failed to join twenty-six other Attorneys General filing an amicus brief to overturn Washington State’s magazine capacity restrictions
• Decided to push back on our win against so-called “Universal Background Checks” by arguing the court’s ruling only applies to handguns, the state should continue enforcing UBCs for rifles and shotguns, and that certain plaintiffs should be excluded from relief in Wilson v. Hanley

Virginians deserve better from Attorney General Miyares.

You can call the Office of the Attorney General at (804) 786-2071, or tag Jason Miyares directly on X (formerly Twitter) with @JasonMiyaresVA.

A simple message is most effective:

“Attorney General Miyares, I’m a proud Virginian and a supporter of Gun Owners of America. I’m calling to demand that you fully accept the court’s ruling in Wilson v. Hanley and immediately drop your appeals against the unconstitutional Universal Background Check law, as well as the One Handgun a Month restriction. I am urging you to stand with the people of this state and uphold the Second Amendment, not undermine it.

Tell Jason Miyares to ACCEPT the court’s ruling, to DROP the appeals of our wins against Universal Background Checks and One Handgun a Month.

The right to keep and bear arms is not a government-granted privilege; it’s a God-given liberty protected by the Second Amendment. Every Virginian deserves that freedom, and Gun Owners of America will continue to stand firm against Jason Miyares’ ongoing attempts to uphold restrictions on your rights.

With your support, we can send a powerful message to the Attorney General — urging him and his office to do the right thing and stand for gun rights across Virginia.

Finally, after you make your call, please make sure to watch Jared’s Guns & Gadgets episode from today.

Jared has called the AG’s office, and he reports on what he’s discovered in relation to Miyares’ plans regarding our victory on Universal Background Checks (UBCs)—and it’s not good news!