Firearms Industry Launches Educational Ad Campaign on Capitol Hill to Coincide With Congressional Fly-In

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Mar 31, 2011, 12:11 ET

NEWTOWN, Conn., March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) – the trade association for the firearms industry – is launching an educational advertising campaign reminding legislators of the industry's economic impact on the nation's economy and the pivotal role that excise taxes, paid by manufacturers, play in funding wildlife conservation throughout the United States. The launch will be focused on D.C. area publications and will coincide with the NSSF Congressional Fly-In (April 6-7).

Titled, "The Original Green Movement," the ad notes that while "green" initiatives are commonplace today, the movement began with America's sportsmen. The ad states that while "everyone is now talking about their green initiatives, United States sportsmen have been putting their money where their hearts are since 1937."

Key statistics that are highlighted in the NSSF ad include the more than 183,500 jobs created by members of the firearms and ammunition industry, paying more than $8.2 billion in wages annually and having an overall economic impact of $27.8 billion.

"The economic growth of America's firearms and ammunition industry continues to be a bright spot in our country's still ailing economy," said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. "Our ads will help remind America's lawmakers of this important fact."

Keane continued, "The excise tax dollars (up to 11 percent) manufacturers pay on the sale of firearms and ammunition is the primary source of wildlife conservation funding in the United States and the financial backbone of the North American Model of wildlife conservation. Clearly, America's firearms and ammunition industry spawned the original green movement."

Since the firearms and ammunition excise tax began in 1937, more than $6.4 billion has been collected from firearms and ammunition manufacturers benefiting wildlife restoration and hunter education.

Mark Thomas, NSSF managing director, marketing and communications, noted, "This educational campaign is meant to ensure that legislators and legislative staff fully understand that sportsmen were the first conservationists and continue to have a tremendous impact on America's conservation and economic efforts.

"As the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry, we are very proud of the contributions our members have on the future of hunting and the shooting sports," Thomas added. "This multi-level campaign clearly illustrates how NSSF promotes, protects and preserves hunting and the shooting sports."

About NSSF

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 6,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen's organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

SOURCE National Shooting Sports Foundation