IFC 2A Lobby Day was a great success. But what the heck? This was the third year in a row we had another snow storm! In spite of that, over a hundred supporters showed up at the Iowa State Capitol building on a bitterly cold January morning last week. Further, we sold out the IFC-PAC Prime Rib Dinner that evening! Thanks to everyone who braved the weather to show their support for IFC and for the Second Amendment.
As always, IFC Volunteers and our legislative supporters came out and helped us with everything: from our opening prayer, to singing our National Anthem, to briefing the crowd. Our own Iowa Attorney General, Brenna Bird, then continued the program, discussing current court cases and federal legislative efforts that threaten our Second Amendment rights. She affirmed her continued support to defending our rights from an overreaching administration in Washington. We are fortunate to have such a fighter in the Attorney General’s office.
IFC Chairman, John McLaughlin took over then and asked a simple yet powerful question. If there is a fire in the room, do you grab a fire extinguisher, or do you wait for the fire department to show up? Why would we do anything different with our schools? It’s time to protect our kids and end gun-free zones in Iowa.
John then introduced Gabby Franco, this year’s featured speaker. We got to hear Gabby’s compelling story of becoming a Venezuelan Olympic Team Shooter, of leaving that country’s oppressive government regime and immigrating to the United States. Once in the U.S., she did not slow down. She has become an inspiring woman in the 2A community and has continued to speak to groups about how easily 2A rights can be taken, if we do not remain vigilant and stay engaged. She authored a book, TroubleShooting, and was a competitor on the TV show Top Shot. That evening, at the IFC-PAC Dinner, she provided more detail about her journey and finished the evening with a private Q&A session.
Sponsors & Supporters
Many thanks to our sponsors and supporting organizations who attended. Members got a chance to talk with the team from our sponsors CrossRoads Shooting Sports, and Black Flag Arsenal. Representatives from NRA-ILA were also there, and Turning Point USA.
Switching Gears: WTH?
Even gun control dangerous quack David Hogg made our point with this tweet on X!
Time for the Iowa Legislature to push back on EMC Insurance and demand that EMC, as it currently does in other states, cover Iowa School Districts who want to arm present, trained, and willing staffers to have the tools they need to stop school shooters in their tracks.
Help us educate Iowans on the facts by joining or renewing your IFC membershiphere today. And please stay Ready at All Times. And, if you missed this year’s event, plan to join us next year!
Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.
Iowa Firearms Coalition members know that IFC has done a great job over the years at keeping its members aware of legislation in Iowa that affects the Second Amendment. IFC also has presented a robust slate of proposed legislation for the Iowa Legislature every year and follows all 2A bills. We have been successful in expanding Iowans’ 2A rights and also keeping bad bills from passing. This often tedious work takes a lot of hours and dedication, in every legislative session – and even between sessions.
But what about federal legislation and court cases? That is where the NRA-ILA (National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action) comes in. The reality is that if enough adverse 2A legislation is passed at a federal level, even Iowans – with our significant Second Amendment advances this past dozen years – will be adversely impacted.
What Happens on the NRA-ILA Calls?
Every year, the NRA-ILA schedules a series of calls, per region of the country, that interested people can sign up for to hear about pending court cases and federal legislation (and some state legislation) within their region. These calls are generally one hour in length and include a summary of the bills underway and an attorney’s legal analysis of the potential impact, as well as legal strategies. I have found these once-a-month calls to be very insightful.
Here is your invitation to Register Now for the upcoming NRA-ILA calls:
It’s a New Year – a huge election year – and the battle for our Second Amendment rights is more important than ever! Make plans now to attend an NRA-ILA Grassroots Webinar on January 17th, at 7:00 p.m. EST, focused on critical legal updates regarding your Second Amendment rights, and featuring NRA-ILA Director of Litigation Counsel, Mike Jean. Be sure to RSVP below for the webinar link:
The fight to protect our rights at all levels hinges on active patriots who remain educated on important Second Amendment issues. Your NRA-ILA team looks forward to sharing important updates on the battle to protect the Second Amendment in the courts, hearing your questions, as well as providing the grassroots tools you need to make your voice heard.
Stay tuned to your inbox for more on upcoming NRA-ILA Webinars! All NRA-ILA webinars are Webex based and can be accessed via desktop computer, smartphone, or via call-in. You can find more information on Webex at www.webex.com
We hope you’ll join us January 17th!
Yours in Freedom,
Nathan Cross NRA-ILA Grassroots
Why It Matters
Second Amendment protections, both at federal and state levels, are under threat. As you know, there is enormous pressure, and a well-funded effort, to erase or reverse our Second Amendment rights. Some recent efforts include:
Efforts to restrict ammunition
Pressure on firearms manufacturers
ATF shutting down gun shops for minor clerical errors on Form 4473
Threats from insurers to discontinue liability coverage for firearms manufacturers, gun shops, and shooting ranges
Ever-changing and vague changes of regulations and penalties from the ATF, without approval by Congress – some of which (like the pistol brace debacle), carried a penalty of becoming a felon
Insurers declining to renew insurance for public schools that want to put in place a policy of arming select staff
Endless efforts by gun-control lobbies, to eliminate access to or outlaw certain firearms or accessories
Financial industries being asked to code all firearms-related purchase transactions with a special code to identify the purchaser
…and the list goes on.
We are lucky, indeed to live in the great free State of Iowa. However, the rights we enjoy today could easily be stripped away if the wrong people get elected. We must be vigilant. We must be active. We must be informed.
Register to join the NRA-ILA calls to help you better understand proposed legislation, the status of current court cases, and the impact of regulatory changes. Be active and get engaged!
The Connection Between NRA & IFC
In 2019, IFC earned the official designation of NRA State Organization status for its continuous efforts working on many Second Amendment issues through the years. We are the only Second Amendment organization in Iowa to hold this status. In 2020, IFC also earned the Outstanding State Association award from NRA. This was followed in 2021 with the award of NRA’s Distinguished Advocate award which was bestowed upon Richard Rogers, IFC Board member and volunteer Lobbyist.
Finally, in 2022, IFC was again awarded the Outstanding State Association award from NRA.
You should be proud to be a part of such a great State Association.
The success of the Freedom Amendment which passed in 2022, added 2A protections to Iowa’s State Constitution. This was the result of hard work by IFC volunteers, together with assistance from NRA-ILA.
NEXT WEEK: IFC’s Annual 2A Lobby Day at the Capitol and the IFC-PAC Supper!
Also, be sure to attend the 2A Lobby Day at the Capitol – NEXT WEEK! This free event is being held next Thursday, January 18th. Arrive by 9 am — there will be a shuttle service from the designated parking area at the Capitol — look for IFC flags.
Meet our Event Sponsors and some of our Trusted Partners who will be on hand to show you what they are offering and to tell you about the discounts available only to IFC members.
The official program begins at 10:00 and concludes at noon. Our special guest speaker, Gabby Franco, is a treat to listen to and her harrowing tale of what happened in Venezuela, where citizens are no longer allowed to have firearms, is a sobering story that you will want to hear.
Lobby Day is a ‘show of force’ for our state legislators, emphasizing just how important Second Amendment rights are to Iowans.
Also, that evening, beginning at 5:30, the annual IFC-PAC Supper will be held at the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine at 1100 Shriners Parkway, in Altoona. IFC is serving up a prime rib dinner with all the fixings, good company, information about current state legislation, and lots of fun (and some raffle prizes!). Gabby Franco will again be there, in a more intimate setting, to provide a deeper understanding of what prompted her to leave Venezuela and eventually become a US citizen. Get your tickets here!
You don’t want to miss these events. We’ll see you there!
Happy New Year from the Free State of Iowa, which celebrated its 177th birthday on December 28th! It’s New Year’s Day 2024 as I write this. Many of you know how I wound up an Iowan. However, for those of you who do not, here is how it all happened. Having been born and raised in Buffalo, New York, and as a newly minted private pilot, I enlisted in the US Air Force expecting to see the world. The Air Force sent me to Omaha… Now that you’re finished laughing, it turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me.
You see, having grown up in even-then economically declining and freedom-crushing State of New York, finding the clear skies of Nebraska and Iowa at age eighteen was a Godsend. I then finished up my professional pilot flight training, graduated from the University of Nebraska (I know, my Huskers football team is not what it used to be). I ultimately received a Direct Commission as a Warrant Officer in the Iowa Army National Guard. I flew attack helicopters out of Waterloo for most of my Army career.
Why might I bring this up on New Year’s Day 2024 you might ask? Well, growing up in New York gives me a unique perspective on how rapidly those dangerous quacks on the Left destroy everything they touch. Be it States, corporations, institutions, or families. Point to anything that has gotten better by centralized government or totalitarian control in history. None of us can.
That’s why Free States like Iowa, Florida, and Texas continue to prosper, and Blue States like California, Minnesota, and New York are in economic collapse with exploding crime rates. We watch as the State of New York prosecutes our former President on “trumped up” civil financial fraud charges. It is glaringly apparent that if you get on the wrong side of the leftists in power, they will destroy you — by any means necessary. Who in their right mind would ever invest in New York State again?
2024 – Election Year
2024 is an election year. It’s obvious that one party is doing everything it can to disarm law-abiding citizens and ensure that it can exert one-party rule in perpetuity. Not just by controlling every institution of government, but also by ensuring it has a monopoly on power.
Rush Limbaugh used to say that the world is ruled by the aggressive use of force. The Left knows this, that’s why they want to disarm every one of us. Free People can fight back, slaves cannot.
Watch for legislative updates here from the Iowa State House over the next few weeks right here and on the IFC-PAC web pages.
I know that economic times are tough, but to ensure that we at IFC & IFC-PAC can keep fighting for you, please purchase your tickets to the IFC PAC Prime Rib Dinner on January 18th. Hopefully, I’ll see you there, after meeting each and every one of you at IFC’s annual 2A Lobby Day that morning.
Help us educate Iowans on the facts by joining or renewing your IFC membership here today. And please stay Ready at All Times.
Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.
Truth or fiction: How many stories do we accept as fact? As I write this week’s President’s Message on Christmas morning, I’m reminded of how many stories we all take as fact, when upon further study, turn out to be different from what was thought to be true.
Be it the story of the actual birth of Baby Jesus — what we know as no room at “The Inn” in Bethlehem, or the “three” wise men. A careful reading of the Gospel According to Luke clearly shows differences from what we see in the common Nativity Scene, versus First Century Judaism in real life.
Kind of like the dangerous quacks on the left trying to tell us how much safer the world would be if the police and military were the only ones who had guns.
It doesn’t take much of a realist to understand that the Framers understood that the government should never have a monopoly on power. That commitment to freedom is famously illustrated by General George Washington crossing the Delaware River in the middle of the night on Christmas to attack British troops at Trenton.
CLOSER TO HOME
Speaking of truth, we learn that Iowa’s own State Representative Lindsay James (D), Dubuque County, has joined President Biden’s “Safer States Agenda” team to push for gun control at the State level. Apparently Rep. James did not read the 49th Amendment to the Iowa Constitution that passed overwhelmingly last year. But then those dangerous quacks live in their own bubble, unaffected by truth.
Help us educate Iowans on the facts by joining or renewing your IFC membershiphere today. And please stay Ready at All Times.
RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!
Have you purchased your tickets to the IFC PAC Prime Rib Dinner on January 18th? Hopefully I’ll see you there, after meeting each and every one of you at IFC’s annual 2A Lobby Day beginning at 9a.m. that morning.
I hope each of you had a great holiday season, and wish you a happy new year.
Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.
Your Freedom Amendment vote made a difference. Here’s an example: Illinois versus Iowa. On December 14, 2023, a couple dozen activists gathered in Davenport for an anti-gun protest. They somehow get a bit of press coverage, even though everyday Iowans are mostly ignored by the mainstream press. You know the Iowans I’m talking about–the nearly 750,000 Iowa voters who voted for the Freedom Amendment. The 750,000 voters we need to remind our legislators about.
Fortunately for all of us, we have honest journalists in Iowa, and even in Illinois. WQAD-TV ran a story on December 14th. My hat is off to them for once again reaching out to IFC to give our view, and for correctly quoting me. From the story by Jonathan Fong:
“Doesn’t mean the federal circuit appellate courts are not gonna hear it and rule on it; they’re just saying we’re not going to take it up right now,” Iowa Firearms Coalition president Dave Funk explained.
Funk is confident the Supreme Court will overturn the law. “With the makeup of the current court, and it’s gonna stay this way for probably, at least another decade, maybe two decades, where you have a majority of pro-constitution or originalists on the court … we’ll see it overturned, we won’t see any change.”
It’s important to understand the federal appellate process, in the case of the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA). The PICA act is unconstitutional on its face. This is clear to anyone with any knowledge of the Second Amendment, its historical traditions, and the Bruen Decision. Jumping directly to the US Supreme Court, while similar cases from other states are working their way through the system, is not something SCOTUS likes. We all want SCOTUS to rule in favor of the plaintiffs, but we have to let the legal process work its way through.
GRASPING AT STRAWS
We all know those Dangerous Quacks are grasping for straws. Let’s keep them grasping here in Iowa. Help IFC fulfill its mission to you, and all Iowa gun owners, by purchasing your tickets to the IFC PAC Prime Rib Dinner on January 18th. Hopefully, I’ll see you there, after meeting each and every one of you at IFC’s annual 2A Lobby Day that morning.
Help us educate Iowans on the facts by joining or renewing your IFC membershiphere today. And please stay Ready at All Times.
Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.
Sign up now for our e-mail alert list to stay plugged into what's going on with your 2A rights here in Iowa.
IFC will never sell, rent or share your personal information, including your e-mail address, with any third parties for any purposes without your express permission. IFC may share your personal information for the purpose of delivering our e-mail to you or as required by law.
Further, we sold out the IFC-PAC Prime Rib Dinner that evening! Thanks to everyone who braved the weather to show their support for IFC and for the Second Amendment.
She affirmed her continued support to defending our rights from an overreaching administration in Washington. We are fortunate to have such a fighter in the Attorney General’s office. 
Once in the U.S., she did not slow down. She has become an inspiring woman in the 2A community and has continued to speak to groups about how easily 2A rights can be taken, if we do not remain vigilant and stay engaged. She authored a book, TroubleShooting, and was a competitor on the TV show Top Shot. That evening, at the IFC-PAC Dinner, she provided more detail about her journey and finished the evening with a private Q&A session. 
is famously illustrated by General 
Let’s keep them grasping here in Iowa. Help IFC fulfill its mission to you, and all Iowa gun owners, by purchasing your tickets to the
Recent Comments