What is the NRA and why is it so powerful?

geemong

What is the NRA and why is it so powerful?





In the wake of a school shooting in Texas that left 19 children and two adults dead, President Biden has asked: "When are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?"

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The National Rifle Association (NRA) is the most powerful organisation lobbying for gun owner rights in the US.


What is the NRA?
NRA stands for National Rifle Association. The group was founded in 1871 by two US Civil War veterans as a recreational group designed to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis".

The NRA's path into political lobbying began in 1934 when it started writing to members with information about upcoming firearms bills. The association supported two major gun control acts, the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) and Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), but became more politically active following the passage of the GCA in the 1970s.

In 1975, it began attempting to influence policy directly via a newly formed lobbying arm, the Institute for Legislative Action. In 1977 it formed its own Political Action Committee (PAC), to channel funds to legislators.


How big is its budget?
In 2020, the NRA spent about $250m (£200m) per year, far more than all the country's gun control advocacy groups put together. But the NRA has a much larger membership than any of those groups and uses its funds for things such as gun ranges and educational programmes.

In terms of lobbying, the NRA officially spends about $3m per year to influence gun policy - the recorded amount spent on lobbying in 2014 was $3.3m. However, that is only the recorded contributions to lawmakers, and considerable sums are spent elsewhere via PACs and independent contributions - funds which are difficult to track.

Analysts point out that the NRA also wields considerable indirect influence via its politically engaged membership, many of whom will vote one way or another based on this single issue. The NRA publicly grades members of the US Congress from A to F on their perceived friendliness to gun rights. Those ratings can have a serious effect on poll numbers and even cost pro-gun control candidates a seat.