The NRA exemption was an attempt to suppress the gun lobby's opposition for the Blue Dog Democrats who would vote for the bill. To quote a Wall Street Journal editorial about the NRA sellout: "Cutting a special deal at the expense of the First Amendment with lawmakers who have decided for now to stop gutting the Second Amendment reveals an NRA that is unprincipled and will be weaker for it in the long run." How true. Next time my NRA membership renewal comes around I'm giving very serious thought about whether to renew it or not.