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December 17, 2024
NSSF Government Relations Team Profile: Moriah Day
NSSF’s Government Relations Team is working hard on behalf of the entire firearm and ammunition industry, both at the federal level and at state capitals across the country. To give our members a better understanding of who is fighting for their businesses and Second Amendment rights every day, NSSF will periodically publish a Government Relations Team member profile. December’s NSSF GR Team profile is for Moriah Day, NSSF Director for Government Relations – State Affairs, Midwest Region.
1) What is your favorite hunting or recreational shooting sports activity?
Upland bird hunting has to be top of the list. Growing up in Kansas, people assume I grew up hunting pheasant and quail, but I was raised in a part of the state where whitetail deer and turkey were plentiful and upland birds weren’t as common. As a young adult, I began bird hunting more and found it’s hard to beat early mornings walking fields with friends and good bird dogs. Outside of hunting, I enjoy just about all the shotgun sports and especially appreciate the challenge of a good sporting clays course. In all honesty, though, while it’s fun to get out and shoot on my own, my real passion is helping people who are new to the shooting sports learn firearm safety and become not only competent but experienced at safely handling firearms. I’ve been very blessed to help a wide range of individuals qualify for a concealed carry permit and deepen their understanding of their firearms through firearm courses.
2) How did you become interested in professionally advocating for pro-firearm industry policies and Second Amendment rights?
Firearms have been a central part of my family heritage for many generations. Christmas and Easter dinners were traditionally followed by show-and-tell where firearm acquisitions were examined and discussed in detail. And the reading materials on the coffee table were chock-full of articles from legendary firearm instructors. It was only natural then for me to develop an interest in the shooting sports. My grandpa turned that interest into a passion when he gave me a safety briefing using a BB gun my mom had used as a kid. One of my first experiences in politics was helping that same grandpa campaign for mayor of our small town in rural Kansas. It wasn’t long before I realized my passion for the Second Amendment and a skillset in politics were a great fit and I began helping our state Second Amendment group modernize its approach to messaging and marketing. I had the honor of serving with that organization in one capacity or another for about a decade, eventually growing it enough to take on the role of Executive Director before leaving to represent the incredible people and companies in the firearm industry.
3) Describe your role within NSSF to the firearm industry community.
In a nutshell, I represent the firearm industry’s interests across a region that includes Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. As our state affairs team likes to say, we’re the front-line defense against bad ideas. Those bad ideas surface in a lot of unexpected places so I work with legislators, governors, attorneys general, state treasurers, state wildlife agencies, and even local units of government. While lobbying to defeat bad ideas is a big part of the job, I also get to proactively inform policymakers on what our industry means to their states, educate them on what conservation would look like without the excise tax checks our members write, and act as an interpreter of sorts by reminding lawmakers that the faces and families who make a living designing, building and selling firearms and ammunition are as real and relatable as those in any other industry.
4) What is your favorite aspect of your role with NSSF while interacting with industry partners?
The firearm industry and the wider Second Amendment community talk a lot about our “hunting heritage” and similar terms. It’s an unfortunate fact but too many people my age and younger no longer have a connection to rural America at all. They don’t even have a family connection, let alone a personal experience of their own with hunting or firearms. I’m blessed that my story is different. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the heritage associated with iconic firearm companies, brands and instructors from my past. Let me give you an example: I still have the beat-up single shot Hamilton .22 youth rifle that once belonged to my great-grandfather. That rifle was made by a Michigan company that would later become Daisy. More than a hundred years after that rifle was made, it still inspires me today. Not only does my role with NSSF allow me to work alongside incredible manufacturers, distributors and dealers who make the tools we use to defend ourselves and our families, put food on the table and compete; I also get to wake up each day and fight for the future of the industry that has been an instrumental part of my family’s heritage for generations.
5) Describe your favorite “win” from your role/advocacy on behalf of the firearm industry.
Some big victories like helping pass a constitutional amendment protecting the right to hunt, fish and trap in my home state of Kansas eight years ago certainly stand out. But the reality is, you don’t always get to see how big a win or loss is until years down the road. Defeating a bill here, passing a bill there, or tweaking a measure’s language by adding a single sentence can often have a far-reaching impact on our members and the millions of law-abiding Americans they serve. While I love the big wins and I’m hoping for some more significant ones as we bring an end to organized and government-promoted discrimination against firearm companies, protect the industry from being blamed for the actions of violent criminals and prevent tax dollars from funding those who seek to eliminate us, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to achieve smaller wins that may not make the news, but impact your life and livelihood just the same.
6) What’s a favorite hobby or recreational activity outside of hunting or shooting sports?
I’m very blessed that both my wife and daughter love shooting almost as much as I do. With a finite amount of free time at my disposal, other hobbies sometimes have to take a backseat. Like many of you, our family loves hiking, camping and just about any other outdoor activity we can come up with so even if we aren’t shooting, the odds of us being outside are good. All bets are off during football season, though. If our Kansas City Chiefs are playing, all three of us will be cheering them on from home with friends or sometimes even enduring the elements in the stands at Arrowhead. In a world where integrity is rare and fewer and fewer people believe in moral absolutes, I’ve found that a consistent reminder of both is important. My wife and I both volunteer extensively on the live production team at our church so if it’s Sunday or there’s a special event happening, that’s where you’ll find us!
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