Gun Owners of America

Gun Owners of America (GOA) was founded in 1976 by California state senator H. L. Richardson. The GOA lobbies both state and federal legislatures to promote Second Amendment rights. Richardson was chairman of Gun Owners of America until he retired in 2017. Tim Macy, who had been on the board since the organization’s founding, then became chairman.{{Cite web|title=About GOA {{!}} GOA|url=https://www.gunowners.org/about-goa/|access-date=2021-06-05|language=en-US}}

Tim Macy{{Cite web|title=About GOA {{!}} GOA|url=https://www.gunowners.org/about-goa/|access-date=2021-06-09|language=en-US}} is president and chairman of the Board of Gun Owners of America. He has been on the Board of Directors for over 35 years since the inception of GOA. Macy is involved with GOA’s sister organization as well. Serving on the boards of Gun Owners Foundation, Gun Owners of America’s Political Victory Fund and Gun Owners of California.

John Velleco serves as the executive vice president. He previously served as the director of federal affairs for the organization.

Erich Pratt is the senior vice president for GOA, having worked in gun politics for over three decades. Erich served under several titles at GOA – from federal and state directors to communications director for the organization. He now serves as the chief national spokesman and focuses on policy for both the federal and state levels of government.

Sam Paredes is a board member of GOA and currently serves as the executive director for GOA’s sister organization, Gun Owners of California. Paredes is a certified firearms instructor.

{{Conservatism US|expanded=other organizations}}

Gun Owners of America is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization.{{cite web|title=Who Is GOA|url=http://www.gunowners.org/protect.htm|access-date=2008-11-20}} According to Gun Owners of America's website, its board contends that Americans have lost some of their gun rights, and GOA strives to get them back.

By its own account, Gun Owners of America spent over $1.75 million lobbying Congress in 2004, and over $18 million between 1998 and 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby/profile.aspx?act=clients&year=2003&cl=L001810 |title=Gun Owners of America on LobbyWatch |access-date=2008-05-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071210185208/http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby/profile.aspx?act=clients&year=2003&cl=L001810 |archive-date=December 10, 2007 }} Gun Owners of America's Federal Political Action Committee is "Gun Owners of America Inc. Political Victory Fund" (C00278101).{{cite web|url=http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_detail/C00278101/|title=FEC Disclosure Report on GOA|publisher=Query.nictusa.com|access-date=2008-05-06|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203234105/http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_detail/C00278101/|archive-date=2008-12-03}} It raises funds to support the election of pro-gun candidates at all levels of government.

Gun Owners Foundation is an educational nonprofit foundation. It acts as the research arm for GOA. Its main objective is to hold seminars around the country to inform the public, media outlets, and various government officials on Second Amendment issues. The Gun Owners Foundation around 2008 began a new campaign by creating Public Service Announcements to promote what it calls "PROPER Gun Safety". According to Gun Owners Foundation, its campaign objective is "to generate public awareness of the dangers of not having a gun ready for protection and to encourage gun owners not to lock up their best means of self-defense".{{cite web |url=http://www.gunowners.com/psatext.htm |title=GOF Public Service Announcements Promoting PROPER Gun Safety |publisher=Gunowners.org |access-date=2008-11-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002161757/http://www.gunowners.com/psatext.htm |archive-date=2008-10-02 }}

On July 13, 2006, Senator David Vitter saw an 84–16 vote for his amendment prohibiting the use of federal money for federal agents to confiscate weapons during a declared state of emergency.{{cite web|url=http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm |title=No Gun Confiscation During Emergencies|publisher=Gunowners.org |access-date=2008-11-16}}

On June 27, 2007, the Pence Amendment passed. The bill, named after then-representative and future vice president Mike Pence, was passed by a vote of 309–115. According to Gun Owners of America, the amendment blocked the Federal Communications Commission's ability to use the Fairness Doctrine to limit the free speech allowed by organizations like Gun Owners of America over the airwaves.{{cite web|url=http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm |title=Vetoing the Unfairness Doctrine|publisher=Gunowners.org |access-date=2008-11-16}}

On August 9, 2007, Gun Owners of America supported Vitter's work in pushing through a bill stating that no U.S. funds can be used by the United Nations or any group affiliated with the United Nations to restrict or tax Second Amendment rights. If they attempt to do so, the U.S. can withdraw their funds from the organization. This bill, HR-2764, also known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act, passed by an 81–10 vote.{{cite web |url=http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm |title=No Funds for Anti-gun UN |publisher=Gunowners.org |access-date=2008-11-16 |archive-date=2008-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081112224949/http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm |url-status=dead }}

On February 25, 2008, Senator Jim DeMint amended bill S-1200, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. The act stated that the funds were to be used for "violence prevention". Once the funds were attempted to be used for gun buybacks, DeMint pushed through an amendment to the act stating that the money cannot be used for any anti-gun programs. DeMint's amendment passed by a margin of 78–11.{{cite web|url=http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm |title=No Funds for Gun Control|publisher=Gunowners.org |access-date=2008-11-16}}

2010, GOA campaigns for and helps pass the Firearms Freedom Act laws across the country including Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.{{Cite web|title=2010 End of the Year Report {{!}} GOA|url=https://www.gunowners.org/a121010/|access-date=2021-06-05|language=en-US}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• [http://www.gunowners.com/ Gun Owners Foundation]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081203234105/http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_detail/C00278101/ FEC filings for GOA's PAC]

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Category:501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations

Category:1975 establishments in Virginia

Category:Conservative organizations in the United States

Category:Gun rights advocacy groups in the United States

Category:Lobbying organizations in the United States

Category:Organizations established in 1975