NAR Refutes Inaccurate Claims by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY and Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-NJ
Today, Senator Charles Schumer, D-NY and Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-NJ held a joint press conference in opposition to S.724,
a bill introduced by Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, designed to preserve a safe, constructive, educational and important
hobby enjoyed by millions of Americans. This bill will simply exempt the safe propellant materials used in hobby rocket
motors from the requirements of the Homeland Security Act, while leaving in place all of the Act's necessary and legitimate
protections against the possession of dangerous weapons and true explosives. This simple approach will not create a
new opportunity for terrorists to access devices or materials that can be used as weapons or explosive, but it will
preserve a hobby that has a proven safety record and tremendous educational and scientific value. You can read Sen. Lautenberg's
press release here. In response, the following joint
press release was issued by the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) and Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) to dispel the
misconceptions presented during this news conference.
Joint Press Release, July 29, 2003
Using inaccurate and scientifically insupportable information, two U.S. Senators today attacked amateur and hobby rocket enthusiasts across America.
"It is unconscionable that two U.S. Senators would attack the legitimate interests of law-abiding hobby rocket enthusiasts without even getting the facts straight," said Mark Bundick, president of the National Association of Rocketry, and Richard Embry, president of Tripoli Rocketry Association, the largest hobby rocketry groups in America.
"Senators Schumer (D-NY) and Lautenburg (D-NJ) are wrong on the facts and wrong on the science, and their outrageous distortions have done a major disservice to tens of thousands of people," Bundick and Embry added
In a news conference in Washington today, Sens. Lautenberg and Schumer alleged that a bill pending before the U.S. Senate would allow terrorists and criminals to "acquire large amounts of explosive rocket propellant without law enforcement's knowledge," and that "model rockets could be turned into missiles with a range of nearly five miles."
"Those are gross misstatements," Bundick said. "The rocket propellant they are referring to is not an explosive, and hobby rocketry activities are already regulated and controlled by a variety of agencies. Moreover, hobby rockets do not have guidance systems and cannot be used as offensive missiles. Were talking about amateur rockets, built at home, that fly straight up into the air, pop apart, then float back to Earth under a parachute."
The bill in question, S. 724, would allow hobby rocket enthusiasts to purchase small amounts of black powder and rocket propellant. Larger purchases would require the buyer to obtain a federal permit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a process that includes a background check.
This is a prime example of the government over-reacting to something that is not a threat," Embry said. "Children and adults alike have enjoyed this safe, educational hobby for more than 40 years without incident, and now all of a sudden were equated with terrorists. Reasonable regulation is fine, but these Senators are being wholly unreasonable, and the victims here are all the people across America whose hobby is being destroyed."
Media persons needing more detailed information may contact John Kyte at 202-530-4557.
Additionally, Senator Mike Enzi issued a press release clarifying many of the elements of his legislation.
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News Statement
For release: July 29, 2003
Contact: Coy Knobel, phone 202-224-3424
Web address: enzi.senate.gov
Email: Coy_Knobel@enzi.senate.gov
Enzi decries hobby rocket opposition
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. disagreed with two senators' efforts to block legislation introduced by Enzi that would shield some model rocket enthusiasts from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) regulations that have threatened the hobby.
U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. held a news conference today promoting regulation of hobby rocketry.
Enzi made the following comments after the news conference.
"It's a sad state of affairs when we see a government agency and senators go to such lengths to squash efforts to preserve a constructive, educational and important hobby enjoyed by millions of Americans. This kind of opposition to my legislation serves to discourage innovation and darken spirits. It doesn't make Americans that much safer, but it does make us more fearful and less free."
"When I introduced this bill I hoped it would pass quickly.I thought that surely it was not Congress' intent when it passed the Homeland Security Act to make it more difficult for young people to enjoy model rocketry and hobby shop owners to make a living, but it appears this was the intent of at least two members."
"You can drag out all the dressed-up props you want, high-powered rockets are already regulated and this would not change under my bill. My legislation, after modification and passage by the Judiciary Committee, represents a compromise that takes into account the concerns of other senators regarding potential terrorist activity even though there is no known pattern of attempts by terrorists to use unguided hobby rockets as weapons. My bill would simply allow rocketeers to transport and purchase rocket motors that contain less than .9 pounds (409.5 grams) of APCP rocket propellant without being required to obtain a permit from the ATF."
"My bill is not a license to build bombs and the senators know it. A National Research Council study, Containing the Threat from Illegal Bombings, listed the top 29 common explosive and precursor chemicals with demonstrated potential and history of criminal use.It did not list APCP or recommend controls on it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts."
"My colleagues must be hearing complaints from back home about their holdup of my bill. I hope rocketeers will continue to educate their elected leaders about the merits of my legislation. I will continue to work to pass this common sense bill."
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The NAR continues to support the work of Senator Enzi and others in their effort to provide sensible regulatory relief for sport rocketry, a safe, educational and fun hobby that represents absolutely no threat to American homeland security.
As always, please feel free to send me your comments via email, or mail them to me at
Mark Bundick
1350 Lilac Lane
Carol Stream, IL