Substitute S.724 Voted Out of Senate Judicary Committee
Senate 724, (S.724), a bill to exempt hobby rocketry propellant from regulation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives, has been introduced into the United States Senate by Sen. Michael Enzi. The NAR is supporting this bill and
trying to insure that NAR members are aware of its status as it makes its way through the Congress. These messages are
supplied by the NAR's legislative liasion, John Kyte, and will be posted here as we receive information on significant
developments.
A Hatch-Kohl substitute to the Enzi bill (S 724) was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee this morning on a vote of 16 yeas, 2 nays, and one pass. The committee voted 16-2 in favor of the amended S. 724. Senators Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho, voted against the bill. The bill will now be placed on the Senate calendar and subject to consideration by the Senate as a whole on the Senate floor. We are working closely with Sen. Enzi and others to determine the best strategy and timing for that event.
TRA and NAR did not take an official position on the Hatch-Kohl substitute.
As expected, the bill as voted out contains a weight limit of .9 pounds of APCP propellant per motor for unpermitted purchases and possession of up to 25 pounds of APCP propellant without a storage requirement. As noted last night, while sport rocketry enthusiasts may not be happy with this result, it is important to note that our issue remains alive and some progress has been made in raising the existing propellant weight limit of 62.5 grams.
Senator Larry Craig, a cosponsor of S 724, voted against the Hatch-Kohl substitute bill and spoke out against the need for a substitute. He noted that APCP is not explosive, that hobby rocketry has a 30 year history of safety, and that ATF's position on this issue is unwarranted and unscientific. In response, Chairman Hatch and Sen. Leahy, the ranking Democrat who supported the substitute, both said they understood Sen. Craig's concerns, and did not disagree with him, but specifically said that without a compromise the bill would have died in Committee.
The Judiciary Committee vote positions the bill well for passage in the full Senate, but much work remains to be done, and we will keep you apprised of developments and opportunities for active participation.
In addition, Sen. Craig's welcome, accurate and courageous remarks set a solid tone for seeking a different bill in the House that, if passed by that body, could then go to conference with the Senate bill where we may be able to obtain a better end result. We will meet tomorrow with the staffers of Sen. Enzi and Rep. Calvert to discuss Senate floor strategy and timing, and the drafting of legislation in the House of Representatives.
We are also developing a definitive, fully-documented response to the DOJ/ATF "Views" letter distributed to Senators last week. A thorough, scientific, documented rebuttal is critical to our success in the full Senate and in the House.
Sen. Enzi and his Legislative Aide Candice Cotton worked incredibly hard defending hobby rocketry and they deserve the praise and thanks of all TRA and NAR members. This fight is not over, and we have very strong and loyal allies in Sen. Enzi and his staff.
We will meet tomorrow with the staffers of Sen. Enzi and Rep. Calvert to discuss Senate floor strategy and timing, and the drafting of legislation in the House of Representatives. We will need to shore up all who voted in favor of the substitute bill so that we lock in their votes on the floor.
IMPORTANT: It is NOT necessary or helpful for members to take action at this time.
As John passes further developments along, I'll post them here.
To see the current detailed status of S.724, click here.
As always, you can send me your comments via email, or mail them to me at
Mark Bundick
1350 Lilac Lane
Carol Stream, IL
60188-3369