National Rifle Association

Developing a Legislative Agenda

The NRA became politically active in 1934 with the formation of its Legislative Affairs Division. Although it did not begin to lobby directly, the NRA began to mail out legislative facts and analyses to members, encouraging them to take action based on the information. In 1975, sensing a need for political defense of the Second Amendment, the NRA formed the Institute for Legislative Action. Today the NRA is widely recognized as the leading lobbyist group for the broadest possible interpretation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The NRA is in the forefront of issues supporting the rights of individual citizens to purchase and bear firearms.

In addition, the NRA has maintained its emphasis on training, education, and marksmanship. During World War II, the association offered its ranges to the government, developed training materials, encouraged members to serve as plant and home guard members, and developed training materials for industrial security. After the war, the NRA concentrated its efforts on education and training the hunting community. In 1949, the NRA, in conjunction with the state of New York, established the first hunter education program. The NRA launched [Page 795]a new magazine in 1973, The American Hunter, dedicated solely to hunting issues.

The American Hunter and The American Rifleman were the mainstays of NRA publications until the debut of The American Guardian in 1997. The Guardian was created to cater to a more general audience, with less emphasis on the technicalities of firearms and a greater focus on self-defense and recreational use of firearms.

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