Recently, executives from the nation’s leading retailers, firearms and ammunition manufacturers and distributors attended the ninth annual “fly-in”, which is sponsored by the NSSF. The executives held a record number of meetings and discussed important matters with members of Congress.Executives from the nation’s firearms and ammunition manufacturers, distributors and leading retailers were in Washington, D.C. this week for the ninth annual congressional “fly-in” sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry.

The executives held a record number of meetings with Members of both houses of Congress and discussed such matters as the $49.3 billion national economic impact of the firearms industry, the need for the Senate to pass the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act, advancing export control reform and adequate funding for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) functions to provide better, more timely service to industry members.In addition, they took the opportunity to explain the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which was passed by a bipartisan majority in both houses of Congress a decade ago, but that is now under political attack.”Each year our industry executives welcome this opportunity to meet directly with Members of Congress to help ensure that the significant employment and economic contribution of our industry is understood,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “We are committed to working on a bipartisan basis to help ensure that our member companies can continue to fully engage in lawful commerce and grow their businesses. Many of the members with whom we meet truly appreciate that the firearms and ammunition industry has been central to America’s heritage of self-reliance, enjoyment of outdoor traditions and, in a real sense, our very freedoms.”U.S. Rep. John A. Culberson (R-Texas) was officially recognized as NSSF’s 2015 Legislator of the Year during the organization’s annual dinner held in conjunction with the event. The award was announced earlier this year. Congressman Culberson played a pivotal leadership role in convincing senior management of ATF to forestall the effort to introduce a new regulatory framework that would have banned the manufacturing and sale of 5.56 mm M855 “green tip” ammunition. This popular ammunition is widely used by law-abiding Americans for target shooting and hunting.