What is the National Rifle Association? What we know about the powerful gun rights group

In the wake of Tuesday's mass shooting at a Texas elementary school, President Joe Biden said, "As a nation, we have to ask ourselves, 'When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?'"

The National Rifle Association is the largest and most powerful gun rights organization in the United States. The NRA heavily lobbies against gun control legislation and financially backs lawmakers who have historically not supported increased regulations.

Mourning and outrage have shaken the nation after horrific mass shootings in Uvalde, Buffalo and elsewhere. Despite demands for policy change, the future of gun control in the United States remains uncertain – especially as legislation is stalled in a divided Senate.

What are HR 8 and HR 1446? Gun control bills still await Senate votes after Texas shooting

The NRA was founded more than 150 years ago and still plays a significant role in influencing public policy today. Here's what you need to know about the organization:

What is the purpose of the NRA? How many members are there?

The NRA is the largest gun rights organization in the United States. According to the NRA, it has more than 5 million members who are "diligent protectors of the Second Amendment."

The NRA's lobbying arm, the Institute for Legislative Action, lobbies against gun control legislation.

Texas school shooting: What we know about gunman, motive and how weapons were obtained

How old is the NRA? Who founded the NRA?

The NRA was formed in 1871 by two Union veterans from the Civil War, William C. Church and George Wingate. At the time, the association was predominately for recreation purposes and, according to the NRA, Church wrote that the goal would be to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis."

Former Rhode Island governor Ambrose Burnside was the NRA's first president.

In 1975, the NRA formed the Institute for Legislative Action, its lobbying arm that works to influence public policy against the majority of gun control efforts. And in 1977, the NRA created its own Political Action Committee (PAC) to fund lawmakers, most of them Republicans, over the years.

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How much money does the NRA have? And how much is spent on lobbying?

The NRA spent $29.3 million on outside spending for the 2020 federal elections, according to data collected by the nonprofit watchdog group Open Secrets.

According to a 2019 list calculated by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, U.S. senators who have received the largest financial backing from the NRA throughout their career included Mitt Romney, R-Utah, at more than $13.6 million in donations and Richard Burr, R-N.C., at more than $6.9 million.

But the NRA also has seen drops in revenue and member support in recent years. According to CBS, the NRA's revenue declined 23% from about $367 million in 2016 to $282 million in 2020. Grants and contributions from members and supporting corporations also fell 15% in the same four-year period.

The NRA filed for bankruptcy in 2021 after being accused of massive fraud. New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil lawsuit against the NRA, saying its leaders skimmed at least $64 million from the organization to finance lavish lifestyles that included trips on private jets and yachts.

The NRA's bankruptcy filing was later rejected in federal court – U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Harlin Hale of Dallas ruled that the organization did not file its bankruptcy petition "in good faith" but instead did so "to gain an unfair litigation advantage" and "to avoid a state regulatory scheme."

NRA bankruptcy dismissed: National Rifle Association's Chapter 11 case rejected as not 'in good faith'

Where is the NRA headquartered?

The NRA's headquarters is in Fairfax, Virginia.

Who is president of the NRA?

In October 2021, Charles Cotton was elected NRA president.

NRA executive vice president and CEO Wayne LaPierre was reelected in 2021. LaPierre has led the NRA since 1991.

Is Trump speaking at this year's NRA convention?

The NRA is holding its annual conference this weekend in Houston. On Wednesday, the NRA announced that firearms, firearm accessories and knives, among other items, would not be permitted, according to guidance from the U.S. Secret Service.

NRA conference: Guns will be banned during Donald Trump's speech

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at the event on Friday. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott were also scheduled to speak during a leadership forum, but Abbott's office announced Thursday evening that he would no longer attend in-person. The governor will instead go to Uvalde and appear at the NRA conference via a video recording, according to his spokeswoman Renae Eze.

The NRA's 2022 convention in Houston comes just days after a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde killed at least 21 people. The event has drawn rising criticism, with others – including performers Don McLean, Lee Greenwood and Larry Gatlin – also canceling their appearances.

In Uvalde: Families grieve. In Houston, 300 miles across Texas, the NRA will hold its annual convention

Contributing: Nathan Bomey, Amanda Lee Myers, Donovan Slack, David Jackson, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is the NRA? The largest gun rights group in US: What we know