The University of Chicago

The NRA and Gun Lobbyists

by

What is the “gun lobby”? 

  • After acts of mass violence, many Americans are quick to discuss the powerful influence of the gun lobby. This term can feel confusing, but it is, as Al Jazeera describes it, “a broad term that encompasses efforts to influence both state and federal policy on guns, usually through supporting candidates who have pledged opposition to gun control measures. It can include direct contributions to legislators, efforts to independently support elected officials, and campaigns to sway public opinion on issues related to firearms.” 
  • The lobby itself is composed of various organizations and individuals, including the membership-driven National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). 

How do these groups influence gun policy? 

  • Giffords describes why we should care about the influence of these groups: “before the gun lobby wielded the influence it does today, Congress used to enact straightforward laws to keep our communities safe. It passed the National Firearms Act in the 1930s to regulate the most dangerous guns of the day. It passed the Brady Bill in the 1990s to establish a background check system for gun purchases. Today, gun lobby opposition means that even bipartisan efforts, like the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, contain loopholes and limitations that undermine their effectiveness.” 
  • The gun lobby does this primarily by funding candidates. Here are some statistics on what that funding looks like in the United States: 
    • In 2016, the NRA spent more than any other special interest group, $30 million, to elect Donald Trump. The NRA spent another $20 million to support six Republican candidates for Senate. 
    • According to Giffords, the gun industry spends more than $10 million each year lobbying in Washington DC. 
    • According to Al Jazeera reporting on OpenSecrets data, “From 1998 to 2020, pro-gun groups paid $171.9 million in lobbying to directly affect legislation…since 1998, the NRA alone paid $64,857,564 in that category.” On top of that funding, these groups have paid more than $150 million from 2010 to 2020 to advocacy efforts that don’t directly support a candidate. 
    • In 2023, OpenSecrets reported that gun rights group spent $13.2 million in federal lobbying, whereas gun safety groups spent nearly $2.3 million. 
    • The Brady Campaign tracks the candidates who have received the most funding from the NRA here. 
  • Through these candidates, the gun lobby advocates for laws that expand individual gun rights, such as through “stand your ground” laws that allow individuals to use deadly force to protect themselves. While previous legal theories relied on a “duty of retreat,” or the idea that a person would try first to retreat from a dangerous situation and only use force if retreat was impossible, stand your ground laws argue that individuals have the right to meet force with force. Further, these laws suggest that individuals have these rights not just at home, but anywhere they have a legal right to be. Recent cases in 2023 have brought the question of “stand your ground” and what “reasonable fear” means in the context of when and where a person has the right to use force to protect themselves. These cases also raise questions about the racial disparities in the homicide rates justified through these laws. 
  • The lobby also advocates for continued protection of “concealed carry” which allows a person to carry a concealed firearm or other weapon on their person. “Open carry” means the firearm can be partially or fully visible. There are no current federal laws around concealed carry, and states vary in their restrictions or permitting for such permissions. Of note, the 2022 US Supreme Court case NYSRPA v. Bruen expanded open and concealed carry laws, which make it easier for individuals in New York and in other states to acquire a concealed carry permit, where they previously had to prove a significant reason for wanting a permit. Read more about this case and other legal challenges here. 
  • The lobby also seeks to prevent the implementation of what gun safety advocates call “common sense gun legislation” such as red flag laws, expanded background checks, and secure storage laws. Conversely, the lobby advocates for other laws to allow easy access to silencers and other modifications, open carry laws, firearm access for teachers and other employees for self-defense in public spaces, and other laws mentioned above. 
  • The lobby also pushes its policy agenda through close relationships with federal agencies such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). 
  • The NSSF outlines its legislative priorities for federal and state legislation here. 
  • Over the years, the NRA successfully lobbied for individual gun rights legislation, including the Dickey Amendment, which prevents federal funding for gun violence prevention research, and the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which shields gun manufacturers from legal recourse for violence enacted with their weapons. 

What is the NRA and why has it been so influential? 

  • The NRA was founded in 1871 with the mission to “promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis.” The organization is membership-driven, meaning individuals pay an annual membership fee to be included in programming and training, education, and marksmanship. The organization has and continues to provide education to hunters, police, and civilians. 
  • The NRA has maintained a grading system for politicians based on their stances related to individual gun rights. 
  • Analysts estimate the NRA’s membership hovered between three to five million after 2012. 
  • In recent years, however, the NRA has been fraught with political scandal. Executive directors and board members have been accused of pocketing money from membership dues to purchase expensive clothing and other self-enrichment. 

If the NRA is losing power, who is gaining? 

Who are the opposition spenders? 

  • Where the NRA and NSSF are lobbying for individual gun rights, groups such as Giffords, Everytown for Gun Safety, and Sandy Hook Promise are funding lobbying to advocate for commonsense gun legislation. 
  • These groups successfully lobbied for federal legislation: 
  • These groups have also successfully lobbied for several state-level legislation, including: 
    • In 2023, Illinois became the ninth state to ban assault weapons. 
    • In 2023, Connecticut legislators passed legislation to ban “ghost guns” or guns that are not registered, strengthen secure storage laws, and more. 
    • In 2023, Colorado legislators passed several laws to increase the gun purchase age from 18 to 21, mandate a three day waiting period, strengthen the state’s existing extreme risk order laws, and roll back measures that punish victims for suing gun manufacturers for violence with their weapons.