Bill Text: PA HR563 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2012-03-28 - Adopted (196-0) [HR563 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR563-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 3051
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 563 Session of2012
INTRODUCED BY GERGELY, KORTZ, MURPHY, HANNA, HARHAI, BAKER, BENNINGHOFF, BOBACK, BRENNAN, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, CUTLER, DALEY, DENLINGER, DeWEESE, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GABLER, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GILLEN, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GROVE, HAHN, HARHART, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, M. K. KELLER, KRIEGER, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MARSICO, METCALFE, MILLARD, MILLER, MIRABITO, MOUL, MULLERY, OBERLANDER, PASHINSKI, PYLE, QUINN, READSHAW, ROCK, SAINATO, SANTONI, SONNEY, STABACK, TALLMAN, VEREB, VULAKOVICH AND YOUNGBLOOD, FEBRUARY 7, 2012
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, FEBRUARY 7, 2012
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the National Shooting Sports
Foundation.
WHEREAS, The development of hunting and shooting skills
played an integral role in the founding of this Commonwealth as
early settlers to Penn's Woods relied on these skills to ensure
the survival of not only themselves, but of their families,
friends and neighbors; and
WHEREAS, In the 19th and 20th centuries, as industrialization
and urbanization changed the lifestyles of our citizens, as well
as the landscape of the State, the popularity of hunting and
sport shooting began to wane; and
WHEREAS, In the late 1950s, recognizing this decline
throughout the nation, a group led by Warren Page, Shooting
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Editor of Field and Stream magazine, began considering ideas to
reinvigorate the hunting and sport shooting heritage; and
WHEREAS, This effort resulted in the gathering of industry
leaders in New York City and culminated in the establishment of
the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) in 1961 to focus
on the promotion, protection and preservation of hunting and
shooting sports; and
WHEREAS, NSSF has always been renowned for its development
and dissemination of a wide range of hunting and firearm safety
publications, and it is also instrumental in promoting the
safety value of wearing orange hunting clothing, which
transformed the hunting clothing industry and culminated with
many states adopting mandatory orange hunting clothing
requirements; and
WHEREAS, While NSSF continues to distribute safety
publications to state agencies, manufacturers, retailers and
hunter education and firearms safety programs, it has also
expanded its efforts in the last several decades to include a
host of new programs such as Step Outside and First Shots, which
were designed to encourage hunting and sport shooting in the
21st century; and
WHEREAS, NSSF has proven to be a leader in encouraging the
next generation to enjoy hunting, and shooting sports and it has
also championed firearm safety in our communities through
leadership in programs, such as ChildSafe, which has distributed
more than 35 million firearm safety kits since 2003; and
WHEREAS, This community firearm safety effort has also
included a partnership with the Federal Government in the "Don't
Lie for the Other Guy" program, which is a national campaign to
prevent and discourage illegal "straw man" purchases of
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firearms. This campaign is intended to drive home the message
that anyone attempting an illegal firearm purchase faces a stiff
Federal penalty; and
WHEREAS, Support for hunting and shooting sports is on the
increase, with public opinion polls showing that more than 78%
of Americans support hunting and shooting sports, and more than
34.4 million people, or 15% of the United States adult
population, participated in target shooting in 2009 according to
an NSSF-commissioned study; and
WHEREAS, While NSSF began with a small group of individuals,
it now consists of more than 6,000 members representing
manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, gun clubs, shooting
ranges, outdoor media and safety and conservation groups; and
WHEREAS, NSSF has played a vital role in the long struggle to
preserve America's hunting and sport shooting heritage and
continues to demonstrate unparalleled leadership in this effort;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
50th anniversary of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
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