IFC’s Board Member and volunteer lobbyist, Richard Rogers, is at the Capitol today as Iowa’s 90th General Assembly convenes. With so many newly elected legislators, Richard will be busy learning new names and faces. Pictured is fierce Second Amendment supporter Senator Jason Schultz, who was being interviewed in the Capitol’s rotunda by a TV crew. Senator Schultz has been the floor manager for several of IFC’s most important initiatives.
In other news from the Capitol, two of IFC’s staunchest allies were elected to leadership positions in the Senate. Senator Amy Sinclair was elected as President of the Senate. As President, she presides over the Senate, which includes assigning bills to committees and setting the debate calendar. Senator Brad Zaun was elected Senate President Pro-tempore, and will preside when the President is absent from the chair. Senator Zaun is Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where most bills of concern to IFC are considered. Senators Sinclair and Schultz are also members of that critical committee.
As you all know, we at IFC have had a busy couple of years leading up to the Freedom Amendment vote on November 8th. The naysayers on both sides of the aisle told us we would never get this passed. History tells us it’s best not to bet against committed American Patriots.
A few days ago Hanukah started, it’s the 2200-year-old Jewish celebration of the Festival of Lights. This year it will end on Christmas Day.
Did you know our own General George Washington was well-versed in and inspired by Hanukkah?
From a recent article by Paul Dowling at The American Thinker;
“It was the night of December 25, 1777. Christmas Day had been observed glumly and after eating their rations the men were bedded down for the night — all except the Jew. [Actually, the first night of Hanukah — beginning on the 25th of Kislev, 5538, on the Hebrew calendar — would have begun at sundown onDecember 24, 1777.] In a corner of the drafty wooden shack that served as their barracks, as quietly as possible, he lit his menorah, an eight-branched candelabrum that he had carried with him from overseas in his knapsack ever since the war had begun.” As he lit his menorah, the Jewish soldier wept softly to himself, a detail that did not escape the notice of General Washington, as he was making his appointed rounds. Approaching the soldier and touching him on the shoulder, as an aide-de-camp looked on, thegeneral proceeded to ask, “Why do you cry, son?” to which the soldier replied, “Actually, I am not crying. I’m praying with tears for your victory.”
Per Rabbi Sharfman, the rest of the conversation went something like this:
“And what is this strange lamp?” asked the commander.
“This is my Hanukah lamp,” and the young man related briefly the ancient story — how long ago a small bedraggled but patriotic army routed a huge and powerful foe.
“You are a Jew, a son of the Prophets, and you say we will be victorious?” the general declared, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames of the menorah.
“Yes,” the soldier unhesitatingly replied. “The God of Israel who helped the Maccabeans will help to build here a land of freedom for the oppressed.”
To the Harts, General Washington recalled on his luncheon visit when Hanukah was again celebrated, that the warmth of the glowing candlelight and the words of optimism and courage on that darkest night at Valley Forge uplifted him and gave him the fortitude to fight against all odds for victory.”
Happy Hanukkah my friends and fellow IFC members. Small committed forces have been winning battles and wars for centuries, you all just won another one.
Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.
I just got this email from Representative Windschitl moments ago. Check it out:
Today was a monumental day for Iowan’s freedoms. On election night this past November Iowan’s overwhelmingly voted to amend the state’s constitution to protect our individual, fundamental right to keep and bear arms. Today, I had the honor and privilege to attend the ceremony celebrating the passage of Proposition 1, also known as the Freedom Amendment.
The Freedom Amendment passed with over 65% approval throughout Iowa, garnering more votes in the state than any other statewide candidate. The amendment passed in 97 of Iowa’s 99 counties. This overwhelming support by Iowan’s embodies the state motto, “Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.” I am proud to serve constituents in this state, the greatest state in the nation.
This effort to amend our state constitution has been over 10 years in the making. I want to personally thank the Iowa Firearms Coalition, the NRA, and every Iowan who believed in this cause and brought that passion to the ballot box, because it could not have been accomplished without the great people of this state.
The 90th General Assembly is right around the corner and I look forward to your thoughts and feedback as we craft our legislative agenda for 2023. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time and I look forward to continuing to serve you to move Iowa forward.
Image above from left to right – Iowa House Representative Steve Holt, IFC Board Member, and Chief Lobbyist Richard Rogers, Iowa House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, and Secretary of State Paul Pate.
FREEDOM AMENDMENT FORMALLY ADDED TO IOWA’S STATE CONSTITUTION
(DES MOINES, Iowa) — Recognition and protection of the right to keep and bear arms were added to Iowa’s state constitution as the 49th amendment in a ceremony led by the Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC) and Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate on Friday afternoon at a ceremony inside the Iowa Capitol Building.
Statewide Ballot Measure 1, known as the Freedom Amendment, passed with overwhelming support in the 2022 midterm elections with more than 65% of Iowa voters of all political stripes voting in favor of the measure. To put it another way, a majority in all but two of Iowa’s 99 counties voted “yes” for the Freedom Amendment, making it the most popular item on the ballot.
“This day belongs to Iowa,” said IFC President Dave Funk. “With the passage of the Freedom Amendment, thanks to the hard work of IFC’s grassroots supporters and myriad public servants, including Governor Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Elect Brenna Bird, Iowa is a freer, safer state with stronger civil rights protections.”
With Iowa’s passage of the Freedom Amendment, only five states in the country, Minnesota, Maryland, California, New York, and New Jersey do not yet have Second Amendment protections in their respective state constitutions.
“We would like to thank every Iowan who ignored the misinformation campaign launched by shady, out-of-state and coastal billionaire backed groups who attempted to meddle in our internal state affairs in an effort to infringe upon our civil rights and erode our electoral process,” said IFC Chair John McLaughlin. “Iowa is truly a state where liberties are prized, rights are maintained and where nonpartisanship concerning our fundamental rights is alive and well.”
The Iowa Firearms Coalition, an affiliate of the NRA and NSSF, is a 501(c4) nonprofit and is Iowa’s most effective pro-Second Amendment rights organization.
(Pictured above from Left to Right: Representative Steve Holt, IFC Board Member and Chief Lobbyist Richard Rogers*, House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl**, and Secretary of State Paul Pate)
*Richard Rogers is the recipient of NRA’s Distinguished Advocate Award **Representative Matt Windschitl is the recipient of NRA’s Defender of Freedom Award
Did you know that Iowa is NO LONGER one of six states that do not recognize our precious Second Amendment rights in their constitutions? We’re no longer in the “I like to trample your civil rights” club consisting of California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Minnesota. That all changed on November 8th, 2022. 2 out of every 3 voters in Iowa SAID YES to freedom and liberty.
The Freedom Amendment is the culmination of over a decade of hard work. NRA and IFC have been partnered in this monumental endeavor from day one. We built the language together, worked through the tweaks together, and pushed this forward when others didn’t even bother to declare “for” or “against” on the resolutions for the Freedom Amendment as they passed through the Iowa General Assembly. It may sound odd, but lots of people show up to celebrate and take credit when there is a win. Too few actually roll up their sleeves and work the issue day and night on behalf of others. We’re proud to partner with NRA.
The Iowa Firearms Coalition, Iowa’s only effective gun-rights organization, has been hard at work for years to get this fixed! Amending Iowa’s Constitution was no easy task. The course was long and there are many hurdles and pitfalls along the way. But the “Freedom Amendment” is now Section 1A of Iowa’s Constitution, having met the requirement to pass in two consecutive General Assemblies and then be ratified by a majority of Iowa voters.
Congratulations Iowans, you did it!
The newest Amendment to Iowa’s Constitution, the Freedom Amendment, reads:
“The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The sovereign state of Iowa affirms and recognizes this right to be a fundamental individual right. Any and all restrictions of this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny.”
The number of “thank yous” we owe is epic and we’re not sure we can do them all justice. But, the best start is to high-five your liberty-loving friends and family that supported Iowan’s civil rights and then hit our IFC Action Center to send the Legislature a thank you note for pushing the measure forth for Iowans to ratify with their votes.
2. Join the Iowa Firearms Coalition and become not just a member but an active volunteer in the fight to preserve and maintain our God-given rights! IFC Membership
3. Consider donating to our sister organization, IFC-PAC, so we can continue to protect the right to keep and bear arms for Iowans of every color, sex, and creed. IFC-PAC Donation
Sign up now for our e-mail alert list to stay plugged into what's going on with your 2A rights here in Iowa.
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