Senate Bills and section 1062
>From MVPA headquarters:
Allan Cors has been keeping us updated, but no new info. The vote keeps
being delayed (for reasons unrelated to the bill) the last we have heard
was a planned vote today (Tuesday 11/6). Allan still feel confident that
the vote will go in our favor. The following is an advance look at an
article for the January 2002 Supply Line, we hope to add the results of
the vote before we go to print at the end of this week.
The MVPA Board of Directors deserve a salute!
In 2000 and 2001, you have been the leaders in the efforts to
defeat legislation requiring the demilitarization of a broad array of
military vehicles, as well as any radios, aircraft, boats/ships,
firearms and ammunition formerly owned by the Department Of Defense.
The 2000 Fight: In early August, MVPA President, Lee Holland
notified me of the D.O.D. proposed legislation put into the U.S. House
version of the Defense Authorization bill. Acting as your
representative, we organized a team and worked for the rejection of the
proposal. Although lobbying has been my profession since 1967, I felt we
needed additional top-level manpower to win the fight......and you
immediately provided the funding to hire a former member of Congress to
be a part of our "educational" effort. By early September, the House
Armed Services Committee agreed to withdraw the proposal.
The 2001 Fight: The D.O.D.'s package of legislative proposals for
2001 came to the Congress early this year with the same proposal as the
one submitted by the Clinton Administration in 2000. Acting for the
MVPA, I tracked the issue throughout the summer. While the House and
Senate staff assured me the idea was not going to be considered, it was,
in fact, put into the Senate's version of the Defense Authorization bill
on September 6, in the final hours before the bill was reported out of
the Senate Armed Services Committee. It was, apparently, approved on a
party line vote with the Democratic majority voting in favor and the
Republicans against.
We, once again, went to work to defeat this issue, and the MVPA
immediately gave me the financial backing to add two top-level people to
the team. We alerted others who expanded our coalition to cover the
interests of collectors and museums of firearms and aircraft.....but the
MVPA was there first, and with strong resources.
When the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee wants a
provision in the D.O.D. Authorization bill, it is very difficult to
challenge that kind of authority. However, while I feel reasonably
confident our position will prevail on the issue, all who are concerned
about the matter should join me in saluting the National Rifle
Association, a number of military aircraft owners, organizations and,
most especially, the MVPA for the tremendous effort that has been made
to protect our interests.
Your responsive leadership has well represented the interests of
the MVPA membership.
Allan D. Cors, MVPA # 5561
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