Gun Owners of America

Gun Owners of America (GOA) is a United States gun-rights advocacy organization founded in 1976 by California state senator H. L. Richardson. It presents itself as a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and works to influence federal and state legislation, elections, public debate, and litigation related to firearms policy. The organization is structured as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit and operates alongside related entities, including the Gun Owners Foundation, an educational and research-oriented nonprofit, and the Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund, its federal political action committee. GOA occupies a position to the right of, and often more uncompromising than, the National Rifle Association (NRA) on firearms legislation. It has repeatedly criticized the NRA when it believes that the larger organization has accepted restrictions or negotiated compromises that GOA regards as inconsistent with an expansive interpretation of the Second Amendment. Congressman Ron Paul described GOA as the only “no-compromise” gun lobby in Washington, a characterization that the organization has prominently used in its public identity. GOA's advocacy generally emphasizes opposition to firearm bans, registration requirements, restrictions on carrying firearms, limits on ammunition or firearm commerce, and international or domestic measures that it believes could weaken individual gun rights. The organization lobbies Congress and state legislatures, grades political candidates, mobilizes members, publishes legislative analysis, and supports candidates through its political action committee. Its public activity has included campaigns concerning federal appropriations, emergency powers, communications policy, United Nations-related firearms measures, firearms-related public-health funding, and state-level firearms-freedom legislation. GOA also supports litigation and legal advocacy through its affiliated organizations, although the precise roles of the separate entities should not be conflated with the activities of GOA itself. Richardson remained chairman until his retirement in 2017. Tim Macy, who had served on the board since the organization's founding, subsequently became chairman and president. Other publicly identified leaders have included executive vice president John Velleco and senior vice president and national spokesman Erich Pratt. Sam Paredes has served on the GOA board while also leading Gun Owners of California. GOA's influence is primarily political and ideological rather than commercial: it does not market a conventional consumer product portfolio, and its principal offerings are membership, legislative advocacy, political information, grassroots mobilization, fundraising, and related educational activity. GOA has sought to distinguish itself from the NRA through more stringent candidate evaluations and opposition to bipartisan firearms compromises. During the 2008 presidential campaign, it sharply criticized John McCain's gun-rights record and assigned him a failing grade, while giving Ron Paul its highest rating. The organization remains an active participant in American firearms-policy debates, using lobbying, elections, communications, litigation-related support, and state-level campaigns to pursue its stated objective of protecting and restoring gun rights.

Gun Owners of America was established in 1976 by H. L. Richardson, a California state senator who sought to create a firearms-rights organization focused on legislative advocacy. From its beginning, GOA concentrated on state and federal lobbying and adopted a position that treated the Second Amendment as protecting broad individual rights. The organization developed a distinct identity by presenting itself as less willing than the National Rifle Association to accept legislative compromises. GOA's work has included direct lobbying, member alerts, candidate evaluation, election activity, public communications, and support for related educational and legal initiatives. Its federal political operation is associated with the Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund, which raises and distributes funds in support of candidates considered favorable to gun rights. The Gun Owners Foundation functions as an affiliated educational and research body, organizing seminars and disseminating information about Second Amendment questions to the public, media, and government officials. During the 2000s, GOA highlighted several legislative episodes as examples of successful advocacy. In 2006, it supported Senator David Vitter's amendment barring federal funds from being used by federal agents to confiscate firearms during a declared state of emergency. In 2007, the organization backed the Pence Amendment, which it said would prevent the Federal Communications Commission from applying the Fairness Doctrine in a way that could restrict broadcast speech by groups such as GOA. That same year, GOA supported provisions associated with Vitter that restricted the use of United States funds by the United Nations or affiliated bodies for measures that GOA viewed as restricting or taxing Second Amendment rights. In 2008, it supported Senator Jim DeMint's amendment to prevent certain Indian Health Care Improvement Act funds designated for violence prevention from being used for anti-gun programs or firearm buybacks. GOA also became prominent for its candidate grading and its criticism of the NRA. In the 2008 presidential campaign, it sharply opposed John McCain and gave him a failing grade based on its assessment of his firearms voting record. It awarded Ron Paul its highest rating among the presidential candidates discussed in the source material. These positions reinforced GOA's effort to appeal to gun owners who believed that the NRA had compromised too often in negotiations with lawmakers. At the state level, GOA supported Firearms Freedom Act campaigns in 2010, including efforts in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. These initiatives generally sought to assert limits on federal authority over firearms manufactured and retained within a state. GOA's affiliated foundation also began a public-service-announcement campaign around 2008 focused on what it described as proper gun safety. The campaign promoted readiness for self-defense and argued against storing a household's primary defensive firearm in a way that would make it unavailable in an emergency. Richardson chaired GOA from its founding until his retirement in 2017. Tim Macy, a longtime board member who had been associated with the organization since its inception, then became president and chairman of the board. Publicly identified senior personnel have included John Velleco, formerly director of federal affairs and later executive vice president, and Erich Pratt, who held several federal, state, and communications roles before becoming senior vice president and a leading national spokesman. Sam Paredes has served on the board while also acting as executive director of Gun Owners of California. GOA is not a conventional commercial brand. Its organizational “offerings” consist mainly of advocacy, membership, political information, candidate support, public education, and litigation-related or legislative activity conducted through GOA and its affiliated bodies. It remains an active American gun-rights organization whose principal public distinction is its uncompromising stance on firearms restrictions.

• 2017

  Tim Macy succeeds H. L. Richardson as chairman

  [1]Gun Owners of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  After Richardson retires, longtime board member Tim Macy becomes chairman and president.

• 2010

  GOA supports state Firearms Freedom Act efforts

  [1]Gun Owners of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  GOA campaigns for and supports Firearms Freedom Act laws in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

• 2008

  GOA rates presidential candidates

  [1]Gun Owners of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  GOA sharply criticizes John McCain's gun-rights record, gives him a failing grade, and awards Ron Paul its highest reported rating among the candidates discussed.

• 2007

  GOA supports the Pence Amendment

  [1]Gun Owners of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  The organization supports the Pence Amendment, which passed the House by a reported 309–115 vote and concerned the Federal Communications Commission's use of the Fairness Doctrine.

• 2007

  GOA supports United Nations funding restrictions

  [1]Gun Owners of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  GOA supports provisions restricting the use of United States funds for United Nations-related efforts that it viewed as restricting or taxing Second Amendment rights.

• 2006

  GOA backs the Vitter emergency-confiscation amendment

  [1]Gun Owners of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  GOA supports an amendment prohibiting federal funds from being used for firearm confiscation by federal agents during a declared state of emergency; the Senate vote is reported as 84–16.

• 1976

  Gun Owners of America is founded

  [1]Gun Owners of Americaen.wikipedia.org

  California state senator H. L. Richardson establishes Gun Owners of America as a gun-rights advocacy organization.

A highly assertive, no-compromise American gun-rights advocacy organization that positions itself as a stronger defender of Second Amendment rights than larger mainstream firearms organizations.

• Membership and advocacy

  GOA membership

  GOA membership supports the organization's legislative and political advocacy. Members are engaged through policy communications, campaign alerts, candidate information, and grassroots calls to action concerning federal and state firearms legislation.

• Public-policy services · 1976

  Legislative advocacy

  GOA lobbies state and federal legislatures on Second Amendment issues. Its work includes monitoring bills, communicating with lawmakers, supporting amendments, mobilizing members, and opposing measures it believes would restrict firearm ownership, possession, carry, or commerce.

• Political communications

  Candidate ratings and election advocacy

  The organization evaluates candidates according to their firearms-policy records and public positions. Its ratings and election communications are intended to help gun-rights voters distinguish candidates and support those it considers favorable to an expansive interpretation of the Second Amendment.

• Education and research

  Gun Owners Foundation programs

  The affiliated Gun Owners Foundation serves as an educational and research arm, including seminars and public information efforts concerning firearms law and Second Amendment issues. It has also produced public-service announcements related to firearm safety and defensive readiness.

• 2010State Firearms Freedom Act campaigns

  Alaska · Arizona · Idaho · South Dakota · Utah · Wyoming

  GOA supported state-level efforts to enact Firearms Freedom Act laws intended to assert state authority over firearms made and retained within the state.

  Outcome. The source identifies GOA as campaigning for and helping pass measures in the listed states, without providing a complete account of later legal outcomes.

  Source
• 2008GOA presidential candidate ratings

  United States

  GOA opposed John McCain's presidential bid because of what it considered a poor firearms voting record. It gave McCain a failing grade while assigning Ron Paul an A+ on Second Amendment issues.

  Outcome. The campaign reinforced GOA's reputation as a more uncompromising alternative to the NRA in national gun-rights politics.

  Source
• 2008Proper Gun Safety public-service announcements

  United States

  Gun Owners Foundation, GOA's affiliated educational organization, began a public-service campaign encouraging gun owners to maintain access to a firearm for protection and warning against making a primary defensive firearm unavailable.

  Outcome. The campaign communicated the affiliates' view that defensive availability is an important component of firearm safety.

  Source

• 2008

  Opposition to John McCain's presidential candidacyStrategy

  Background

  GOA evaluated McCain's voting record on firearms issues as unacceptable, despite the more favorable grade issued by the NRA's political action committee.

  Action taken

  GOA publicly opposed McCain and assigned him a failing grade on Second Amendment issues while giving Ron Paul an A+.

  Aftermath

  The decision highlighted GOA's effort to differentiate itself from the NRA and appeal to voters seeking a no-compromise gun-rights position.

  • National Rifle Association — The NRA's political action committee gave McCain a substantially more favorable C+ rating.

  Source

• 2008

  Launch of affiliated gun-safety communications campaignStrategy

  Background

  Gun Owners Foundation sought to raise public awareness about its interpretation of defensive firearm safety.

  Action taken

  The foundation began producing public-service announcements encouraging gun owners not to make their principal defensive firearm inaccessible.

  Aftermath

  The campaign extended GOA's broader advocacy message into public education and communications.

  Source

• 2007

  Support for the Pence AmendmentStrategy

  Background

  GOA was concerned that the Federal Communications Commission could use the Fairness Doctrine to affect broadcast speech by gun-rights organizations.

  Action taken

  GOA supported the Pence Amendment, which passed the House by a reported 309–115 vote.

  Aftermath

  The amendment was treated by GOA as a protection for the organization's ability to communicate its views over the airwaves.

  Source

• 2007

  Support for United Nations-related firearms funding restrictionsStrategy

  Background

  GOA opposed international initiatives that it believed could restrict or tax American Second Amendment rights.

  Action taken

  It supported provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act restricting the use of United States funds for United Nations or affiliated efforts of that kind.

  Aftermath

  The cited legislation passed the Senate by a reported 81–10 vote, and GOA counted the provision as an advocacy success.

  Source

• 2006

  Support for the Vitter emergency-confiscation amendmentStrategy

  Background

  GOA opposed the use of federal resources for firearm confiscation during a declared state of emergency.

  Action taken

  The organization supported Senator David Vitter's amendment barring such federal funding; the amendment passed the Senate by a reported 84–16 vote.

  Aftermath

  GOA listed the measure among its legislative victories.

  Source

1. 1Gun Owners of Americaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Gun Owners of America official websitegunowners.org