House passes pro-gun reciprocity bill

The Big Gun lobby is smiling from ear-to-ear as the U.S. House of Representatives just passed the “Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017” that allows concealed carry permit holders from one state to legally carry their guns in any other state.

As expected, and with only a few defectors on either side, the House voted along party lines.

According to Rep. Francis Rooney’s congressional office, the gun bill includes the following:

• Protects Americans’ Constitutional Rights: The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act ensures that law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment right does not end when they cross state lines. The bill allows people with a state issued concealed carry license or permit, or individuals who are citizens of states that do not require a permit to carry a concealed firearm, to carry a concealed handgun in any other state that allows concealed carry, as long as the individual follows the laws of that state.
• Enhances Public Safety: The facts show that citizens who carry a concealed handgun are not only better prepared to act in their own self-defense, but also in the defense of others. A 2013 peer-reviewed study in Applied Economic Letters, found that between 1980 and 2009, “states with more restrictive concealed carry laws had gun-related murder rates that were 10% higher.”  Additionally, a 2013 survey of 15,000 current and retired police officers found that more than 90% of them support the concealed carry of guns by civilians.
• Does Not Arm Criminals: This bill will continue current law as it relates to criminals who are already prohibited from obtaining a firearm.

“A person’s right to carry a lawfully purchased weapon should not end at their state border. This common-sense legislation will ensure that people can protect themselves and their families, as our Constitution intended.“A person’s right to carry a lawfully purchased weapon should not end at their state border. This common-sense legislation will ensure that people can protect themselves and their families, as our Constitution intended.”-Rep. Francis Rooney (R)

The rest of Florida’s GOP congressional delegation echoed what Rooney said about the bill, including Rep. Dennis Ross.

“Law-abiding citizens should not be limited by state lines in their right to concealed carry their firearms. By holding federal agencies accountable for failing to comply with criminal reporting requirements for background checks, as well as creating a system of reciprocity for those who have followed their state-mandated process to carry a concealed firearm, we are strengthening the Second Amendment and keeping Americans safe.”

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