When Congress first heard of the Brady Bill, most Republicans and many Democrats balked at the idea.  Gun owners in America weren't likely to accept de facto gun registration inherent in a bill that forced firearms purchasers to undergo a background check and created a database.

In fact, prior to 1995, support or opposition to Brady was the number one litmus test issue for every gunnie, organization, and even the NRA.  Anyone claiming to support the Second Amendment was literally required to oppose the Brady bill.

Shortly before the 1994 General Election, Brady and HCI decided it was time to pass their scheme.  They only had one problem: the US Senate did not have enough votes to shut down a hold (a threatened filibuster) from N.C. Senator Jesse Helms.  A cloture vote -- which shuts down debate and breaks a filibuster -- takes 60 Senators, meaning 41 Senators can stop the legislation.

The NRA knew these numbers quite well and was still publicly opposed to Brady, though many Beltway insiders still suggest the NRA was ready to cave at any point.

The bill was dead -- but the NRA cut the deal to resurrect it.

LaPierre's NRA contacted then-Minority Leader Bob Dole and signaled the NRA's surrender on the issue.  The NRA would accept the "Insta Check" system because Brady was inevitable, and Helms would be asked to remove his "hold."  In the Congressional poker game, the NRA folded before anyone even had a chance to assess their hand.

Gun Owners of America (GOA) and a number of real pro-gun organizations told the NRA that this system, the National Instant Check System (or NICS) would register gun owners by the millions, giving gun-banners the rope they needed to hang us.

Brady's NICS, much touted by the NRA to this day, is the reason some states have other forms of gun control.  Virginia, long considered one of America's most pro-gun states, passed a "one-gun-a-month" law (or gun rationing) for one simple reason: the system set up by Brady, implemented in Virginia with NRA assistance, would handle the information.  One-gun-a-month had failed in Virginia in the past, primarily because it was too expensive to implement.  Once the NRA's Brady system was in place, one-gun-a-month was easy and relatively cheap.  Again, thanks, NRA.

This site will continue to add information regarding the NRA's support of gun control measures as we verify and process the information.

Why should law-abiding citizens fear a gun owner database?

Cops tap database to harass, intimidate
from the Detroit Free Press

Colorado's Brady law -- and why it should be repealed
from Dudley Brown, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners

Penalties uneven for data misuse: Some cops sanctioned severely, some not at all
from the Detroit Free Press

Information abuse has many forms
from the Detroit Free Press

OTHER LINKS

Senate looks to 'NICS' your gun rights

NRA-backed gun check system may used to register gun owners

by Donny Ferguson, Libertarian Party of Virginia