Reciprocity Passed The House But Will It Pass The Senate

Ian Argent, in a guest post at Shall Not Be Questioned, has run the numbers on HR 38 to see the chances it will pass in the Senate. He compared how the Senate voted on a proposal for carry reciprocity put forth by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in 2013 and how he expects them to vote now.

Starting with the 2013 vote (57 Ayes to invoke cloture), I did up a spreadsheet of the likely vote results in 2017, based on current occupancy, the 2013 vote, and the Senators political stances on the issue.

I came out with maximum of 59 Aye votes (assuming Luther Strange gets to vote Aye or his replacement votes Aye).

The vote delta (because we had both gains and losses)

NH: -1 (Maggie Hassan replaced Kelly Ayotte)

IA: +1 (Joni Ernst replaced Tom Harkin)

SD: +1 (Mike Rounds replaced Tim Johnson)

WV: +1 (Shelley Moore replaced John Rockefeller)

However, what I don’t see is the 60th vote. I broke out the Nay votes who are in seats up in 2018 in states that voted for Trump

Bill Nelson is a hard NO
Claire McCaskill is a hard NO
Sherrod Brown is a hard NO
Bob Casey is a firm No
Tammy Baldwin is a hard NO

Unfortunately, I think Ian is correct. So long as the Senate has the filibuster on everything but judicial nominees, then 60 votes are going to be required.

I was looking at the vote in the House on HR 822 back in 2011. It was interesting to compare that with the vote on HR 38. HR 38 passed the House last week by a vote of 231-198. The ayes included 6 Democrats and 225 Republicans while the nays included 184 Democrats and 14 Republican. By contrast, the vote back in 2011 was 272-154 in favor of passage. The big difference can be attributed to 43 Democrats voting in favor of concealed carry reciprocity.

Of those 43 Democrats who voted in favor of concealed carry reciprocity in 2011, many are no longer in the House. A couple such as Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) have moved on to the Senate. In fact, they were two of the Democrats who voted in favor of Cornyn's bill in 2013. What is disturbing, however, are the 13 Democrats who voted in favor of reciprocity in 2011 who voted no on it in 2017 even though the bill contained the Fix NICS Act. What made them switch their vote on reciprocity for an aye to a nay? Did the Democrats crack the whip on those members or was it that they were warned that they would have a primary opponent funded by Mike Bloomberg?

If any of the these 13 are your representative in Congress, I'd be asking why.

1. Andre Carson (D-IN)
2. Jim Cooper (D-TN)
3. Joe Courtney (D-CT)
4. Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
5. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) (though he was a surprise aye vote)
6. Brian Higgins (D-NY)
7. Rick Larsen (D-WA)
8. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)
9. Tim Ryan (D-OH)
10. Terri Sewell (D-AL)
11. Adam Smith (D-WA)
12. Tim Walz (D-MN)
13. Gene Green (D-TX)

National Right To Carry Reciprocity And The Senate

Now that HR 822 has passed the House of Representatives in overwhelming fashion, it moves to the Senate. Unless I am greatly mistaken, there is significant pressure on senators from both sides of the debate. The Brady Campaign is ramping up the pressure with an auto-mailer campaign asking senators to vote no. Nonetheless, even they admit they don't have the votes to stop it.

I sent an email today to Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) about the bill. While I have no worries that Sen. Richard Burr will be a solid backer of the bill, Hagan can be wishy-washy despite her claims of being a Second Amendment supporter. What surprised me was that I got an email back from her office almost immediately discussing her stance - if you could call it that - on the bill. If she hadn't been getting lots of mail on the issue, she wouldn't have been so prepared to issue something other than a generic thank you for your letter response.

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting me regarding National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 822). I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this important issue.

This bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on February 18, 2011, and was referred to the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

If enacted, the bill would allow any person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry their firearm in any other state that also issues concealed firearm permits. Currently, 48 states, including North Carolina, have laws permitting residents to carry concealed firearms.

While H.R. 822 has yet to reach the Senate, I pledge to keep your thoughts on this issue in mind. My family, like the great state of North Carolina, has a long tradition of hunting and gun ownership, and I take great pride in that heritage. I have opposed requiring gun owners to obtain federal licenses or creating a federal system to track gun sales and transfers, as I believe these proposals would infringe this important constitutional right. I will continue to support the rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment.

Again, thank you for contacting my office. It is truly an honor to represent North Carolina in the United States Senate, and I hope you will not hesitate to contact me in the future should you have any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Kay R. Hagan

If you haven't already done it, it is time to contact both of your state's senators and urge them to vote for the National Right-To-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. I wouldn't want to think that our voices could be drowned out by an auto-mailer run by the Brady Campaign.

It Is A Shame When Sad Pandas Have To Lie

As might be expected, the Brady Campaign released a statement yesterday condemning the passage by the House of HR 822 - the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. The statement is replete with plays to emotion, the parsing of language to create the wrong impression, and at least one outright lie.

Let's look at the first part of the statement.

Washington, D.C. – Just hours after Gabby Giffords spoke publicly for the first time and shared her painful but remarkable story of recovery from being shot in the head, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would force states to allow dangerous, violent and untrained gun owners from out-of-state to carry loaded, hidden guns in virtually every state.

The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, H.R. 822, is the first major gun bill taken up and passed by the House since the January 8 Tucson shootings and is an affront to victims of gun violence everywhere, especially those who have lost their lives and been wounded since the Tucson tragedy. The bill the Brady Campaign has named the “Packing Heat on Your Street Act,” passed despite concerns about overriding states’ rights from moderate Democrats and some Republicans.

The battle over the legislation now moves to the U.S. Senate.

“This legislation is so dangerous that it would trample a state’s ability to set its own rules and training requirements concerning who carries loaded, hidden guns in public and override basic state possession laws setting minimum age limits to possess handguns,” said Dennis Henigan, Acting President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “It’s deplorable that the first major gun legislation passed by a house of Congress since the Tucson shootings is one that would make it easier for the Jared Loughners of the world to pack heat on our streets and in our communities. It’s deplorable that they did this so soon after Gabby Giffords shared her remarkable and moving comeback story. She and all gun violence victims deserve better from Congress.”

As we see, the Brady Campaign goes straight for the emotional heartstrings. It brings up the image of a recovering Gabby Giffords - who by the way supports gun rights - to denigrate this bill. They call it an affront to "victims of gun violence". They call forth the image of the deranged Jared Loughner as the image of the concealed carry permit holders nationwide. The same person who, if both school officials and Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dubnik had done their duty properly, would not have been eligible to purchase a firearm.

They then move into parsing their language.

Under H.R. 822, people with violent arrest records and gun owners with no training could be granted a concealed gun permit in one state and carry in almost any other state. Local law enforcement officials would be powerless to stop it.

National and state law enforcement organizations, such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Major Cities Chiefs Association, strongly oppose the measure because more loaded, hidden guns in more communities will undermine public safety. So do 34 national faith-based organizations that make up the Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence coalition.

An arrest for any crime is not the same as a conviction for a crime. However, the Brady Campaign tries to make it seem that an arrest is the same as a conviction.

They then speak of law enforcement groups such as the IACP and the Major Cities Chiefs Association opposing this bill without ever saying these groups have well-known anti-gun agendas. It gets even worse when they bring up Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence without saying that they themselves helped found this organization!

Finally, they resort to outright lies and distortions about HR 822.

The Brady Campaign and other gun violence prevention groups have warned that H.R. 822 is an even more dangerous bill than when it was originally proposed, thanks to an amendment sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) that passed the House Judiciary Committee in October. The amendment overrides a state’s authority to enforce its basic limitations on gun possession on concealed carriers from other states even if they are ineligible to possess a handgun in the state where the carrying occurs.

For example, under Tennessee law, Tennessee residents with concealed weapons permits may be prosecuted for violating the state’s law forbidding handgun possession by people “while under the influence of alcohol.”

Under the version of H.R. 822 that has now passed the House, this same prohibition would be unenforceable against someone with a concealed carry permit from another state who is caught with a gun in Tennessee while intoxicated. The prospect of a concealed weapon permit holder being arrested while armed and intoxicated is hardly fanciful, since the state legislator who championed Tennessee’s law allowing guns in bars was arrested recently for possessing a handgun while under the influence.

“We’re now calling on the Senate to consider the serious implications of supporting such a law.” Henigan said. “The American people are counting on you to keep their families and communities safe from gun violence.” The Brady Campaign has identified three key reasons that the “Packing Heat on Your Street Act” would undermine the safety of American women, children, men, and our communities.

The legislation would override state laws, forcing states that have tight restrictions on who can get concealed weapon permits, such as New York and California, to allow gun-toting people from states, such as Florida, which repeatedly have given dangerous people licenses to carry.

The legislation forces states to allow untrained, out-of-state visitors to carry loaded, hidden guns, even though studies repeatedly have shown that laws making it easy to carry concealed guns do not reduce crime, and, if anything, increase violent crime.

The legislation forces states to allow out-of-state permits, even though state concealed weapon licensing systems operate under different rules, apply widely varying standards, ultimately endangering law enforcement officers and the general public.

Section 2 of HR 822 explicitly says the possession or carrying of a concealed weapon - with the exception of the eligibility to carry or possess - is subject to the same limitations that a resident of that state would be under.

`(b) The possession or carrying of a concealed handgun in a State under this section shall be subject to the same conditions and limitations, except as to eligibility to possess or carry, imposed by or under Federal or State law or the law of a political subdivision of a State, that apply to the possession or carrying of a concealed handgun by residents of the State or political subdivision who are licensed by the State or political subdivision to do so, or not prohibited by the State from doing so.

Thus, a resident of North Carolina visiting New Jersey would be subject to the same rules and regulations as a resident of New Jersey. The only difference is that the North Carolinian wouldn't have had to been kidnapped like New Jersey resident Jeffrey Muller in order to have been granted a permit to carry.

There have been no reputable studies done that show any increase in violent crime as a result of shall-issue concealed carry. Any study done by gun control advocates such as the Violence Policy Center doesn't count as a reputable study. Indeed, if anything, there is a negative correlation between murder and other violent crimes and the level of gun ownership nationwide. Linoge has done two very rigorous studies on this.

The Brady Campaign needs to just give it up. They can't even lie convincingly anymore. Moreover, as Bitter pointed out on Twitter yesterday, none of the Representatives voting no on HR 822 said it was because of the Brady Campaign. They have become sad pandas indeed.

NRA-ILA On Passage Of HR 822 By The House

The NRA-ILA released this statement on the passage of HR 822 yesterday. As Chris Cox notes, this moves us one step closer to improving self-defense laws in the U.S.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an important self-defense measure that would enable millions of Right-to-Carry permit holders across the country to carry concealed firearms while traveling outside their home states. H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, passed by a majority bipartisan vote of 272 to 154. All amendments aimed to weaken or damage the integrity of this bill were defeated.

“NRA has made the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act a priority because it enhances the fundamental right to self-defense guaranteed to all law-abiding people,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “People are not immune from crime when they cross state lines. That is why it is vital for them to be able to defend themselves and their loved ones should the need arise.”

H.R. 822, introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), allows any person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any state that issues concealed firearm permits, or that does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms for lawful purposes.

This bill does not affect existing state laws. State laws governing where concealed firearms may be carried would apply within each state’s borders. H.R. 822 does not create a federal licensing system or impose federal standards on state permits; rather, it requires the states to recognize each others' carry permits, just as they recognize drivers' licenses and carry permits held by armored car guards.

As of today, 49 states have laws in place that permit their citizens to carry a concealed firearm in some form. Only Illinois and the District of Columbia deny its residents the right to carry concealed firearms outside their homes or businesses for self-defense.

“We are grateful for the support of Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, Majority Whip McCarthy, Judiciary Chairman Smith and primary sponsors Congressmen Stearns and Shuler for their steadfast support of H.R. 822. Thanks to the persistence of millions of American gun owners and NRA members, Congress has moved one step closer to improving crucial self-defense laws in this country,” concluded Cox.

I might note here that Heath Schuler is my Congressman. I haven't always agreed with him but he has always been very good on Second Amendment issues.

Citizen Committee On Passage Of HR 822 By The House

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms released a statement late yesterday applauding the House for passing HR 822 - the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. As Alan Gottlieb notes, this fight is not about a state's rights but about an individual's rights.

CCRKBA LAUDS HOUSE PASSAGE OF NAT’L CONCEALED CARRY MEASURE
Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms lauded today’s 272-154 majority vote by the House of Representatives on passage of H.R. 822, the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011.

“We’re delighted at the outcome of this important legislation in the House,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, “especially since the floor debate brought out all of the tired old cliché arguments. Congressional anti-gunners pulled out all the stops, but their rhetoric could not derail this common sense measure.

“As so many of the bill’s proponents wisely pointed out during the debate,” he continued, “citizens do not leave their self-defense rights at a state border. Those who would argue otherwise evidently have no interest in public safety.

“What was remarkable,” Gottlieb observed, “is how many self-defense opponents suddenly discovered the cause of states’ rights as an excuse to oppose this legislation. This measure is not about state’s rights, it’s about individual rights.”

The vote found seven Republicans voting against the measure and 43 Democrats supporting it.

“How the bill fares when it reaches the Senate remains to be seen,” Gottlieb noted, “but this recorded House vote will give the nation’s firearms owners a chance to see how their Congressional representative feels about their rights under the Second Amendment, and about the safety of their families when they travel across state lines.

“House members can give all the lip service they want to the Second Amendment,” he concluded, “but it is votes like this that separate the superficial from the sincere.”

Four NC Democrats - It Is Good Enough For Them But Not For You

Section 22 of North Carolina Session Law 2011-268 - House Bill 650 provides universal reciprocity to any out-of-state concealed carry permit by the State of North Carolina. This was passed by the General Assembly on June 17th and signed by Gov. Bev Perdue on June 23rd. It goes into effect on December 1st.

Just as the Mecklenburg Declaration predated the Declaration of Independence so, too, does HB 650 predate HR 822 - the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. By approving universal reciprocity, the North Carolina General Assembly has granted the law-abiding citizens of other states who have gone through their state's concealed carry permit process the right to carry in the Tar Heel State.

So why do four Congressmen from North Carolina want to deny North Carolinians the same rights and privileges that we have granted visitors from other states?

That is essentially what Rep. David Price (D-NC-4), Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC-1), Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC-12), and Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC-13) are saying with their votes against HR 822. They think it is OK if someone from New York or Massachusetts or California comes to North Carolina and carries concealed with their state's permit but we North Carolinians, rude country bumpkins that we are, should not be allowed to carry there because it might upset the anti-gun regimes in those states.

Sean pointed the hypocrisy of the Mayor of Carrboro objecting to HR 822 while North Carolina had granted universal reciprocity a few weeks ago. It is obvious that these four are of the same sort. 

Oh, they will disagree with this characterization but it is what it is - a kowtow to gun prohibitionists like Mayor Bloomberg. Fortunately, three other NC Democrats - Shuler, Kissell, and McIntyre - not only voted for HR 822 but were co-sponsors. So too were all the Republicans in the North Carolina delegation. I plan on sending each one of those nine a nice thank you note.

Blah, Blah, Blah....Waaa!

Mayor Bloomberg and his Illegal Mayors are not happy. They want you to know that. That is why they have released this whining press release bemoaning the fact that the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed HR 822 today.

"Ten months after a disturbed man carried a concealed weapon to shoot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others, six fatally, the House voted today to gut state laws on who can carry concealed, loaded guns in public. This was an absolutely embarrassing display of putting special interests and fund raising ahead of public safety.

"A majority of the House ignored the advice of police, prosecutors, domestic violence experts, faith leaders and more than 600 mayors who made clear that this measure will put police and communities at greater risk. Many members also cast aside their usual respect for the authority of states to decide how to protect public safety in their communities.

"With unemployment over nine percent and Congress taking no action to create jobs, it is astonishing that catering to the Washington gun lobby is the top priority for House Republicans. The vast majority of actual gun-owning Americans oppose this bill: 82 percent of them want states, not Washington, to decide who can carry concealed, loaded guns in public.

"We applaud the Democratic leadership, particularly Chairman Conyers, for waging a principled fight against this bill, and offer thanks to Republican members who stood up for police and public safety, including Representatives Peter King, Michael Grimm, Bob Turner, Dan Lungren, Robert Dold and others.

"The debate now moves to the Senate, which had the sense to reject this measure in 2009. We urge them to do so again."

In their call to states rights, Mayors Michael Bloomberg of New York and Thomas Menino of Boston remind me of a certain Alabama governor who famously said in his inaugural speech "and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever." You just need to replace the word segregation with gun control and you have essentially the same argument that George Wallace made in 1963. Wallace repudiated his words late in his life saying they were one of his life's biggest regrets. I doubt Bloomberg and Menino will ever repudiate their anti-gun rights bigotry.

HR 822 Passes The House 272 to 154

This afternoon at approximately 5:50pm, the House of Representatives passed HR 822 - the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011 - on a vote of 272 aye, 154 nay, and 7 not voting.

The ayes were comprised of 229 Republicans and 43 Democrats. Meanwhile the noes were comprised of 147 Democrats and 7 Republicans.

There was only one amendment adopted prior to passage and it was Amendment No. 10 proposed by Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA). This amendment would order the General Accounting Office to study "the ability of state and local law enforcement authorities to verify the validity of out-of-state concealed firearms permits." It was adopted on a voice vote. All the other amendments were either withdrawn or failed.

The Republicans who voted no were Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL), Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY), Rep. Peter King (R-NY), Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA), Rep. Robert Turner (R-NY), and Rep. Robert Woodall (R-GA). Of these Republicans, Dold holds the suburban Chicago seat formerly held by anti-gunners Rahm Emanuel and Mark Kirk. Grimm, King, and Turner all represent districts either in or adjoining New York City so I think you can see the fine hand of Mayor Bloomberg at work there. Finally, I can't explain Woodall's vote other than a fit of pique at having his amendment defeated and I have no clue about Amash or Lungren.

The full list of the Ayes and Noes can be found here. If your Representative voted Aye, send them a note thanking them. If not, ask them why the heck not!

Now it is on to the Senate where it may or may not pass.

Rep. Renee Ellmers Speaking In Favor Of HR 822

Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC-2) spoke on the House of Representatives floor this afternoon in support of HR 822. She is both a co-sponsor of the bill and a North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit holder. In her speech, she held up her CHP while saying she and the thousands of other North Carolinians who hold a CHP are honest, law-abiding individuals seeking to protect themselves and their families.

HR 822 Passes First Hurdle

HR 822, the National Right-To-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, passed a hurdle today when the House approved H. Res. 463 by a vote of 271 to 153. House Resolution 463 provides the rule under which the debate will be conducted, any amendments that can be considered, and other procedural issues. All bills have a rule before they are considered for final passage.

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 822 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. The resolution waives all points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, now printed in the bill. The resolution waives all points of order against the amendments printed in the report.

There were a number of Democrats who voted for H.Res. 463 along with all the Republicans that were present. There were no Republicans who opposed this resolution.

In the Rules Committee, they voted 8-3 along party lines not to allow an "open rule" for HR 822. An open rule would have allowed amendments to be offered from the floor of the House. By not approving an open rule, the Rules Committee made sure that opponents could not keep proposing an endless number of amendments in order to delay the bill. Moreover, it also means that the bill will be clean without the proposed amendment from some Illinois reps which would have allowed concealed carry in both D.C. and Illinois which do not currently have concealed carry.

The 10 amendments that will be considered during debate on HR 822 all come from those opposed to it. Given the number of Representatives who voted for H.Res. 463 and who co-sponsored the bill, they have virtually no chance of passing. A summary is below.

SUMMARY OF AMENDMENTS MADE IN ORDER

1. Woodall (GA): Would protect the rights of states that already have reciprocal agreements in place for the concealed carry of firearms to continue enforcing those preexisting agreements. (10 minutes)

2. McCarthy, Carolyn (NY): Would specify that the legislation can only go into effect in states that have passed legislation enacting the bill. (10 minutes)

3. Hastings, Alcee (FL): Would exempt states from issuing a carry permit on the basis of state reciprocity which do not require individuals to apply for and complete a carry permit application at their local law enforcement station. (10 minutes)

4. Jackson Lee (TX): Would require a state to create a comprehensive database that would contain all permits and licenses issued by the State for carrying a concealed weapon and would make this comprehensive database available to law enforcement officers from all states 24 hours a day. (10 minutes)

5. Conyers (MI): Would preserve state laws with respect to eligibility for concealed-carry. (10 minutes)

6. Johnson, Hank (GA): Would require the possession or carrying of a concealed handgun in a state to be subject to that state's law regarding concealed carry in regards to firearm safety training that includes live-fire exercise. (10 minutes)

7. Cohen (TN): Would exempt from the bill any State law requiring a person to be at least 21 years of age to possess or carry a concealed handgun. (10 minutes)

8. Jackson Lee (TX): Would require a person provide at least 24 hours notice to a law enforcement officer of the State of the intention to possess or carry a concealed handgun in the State (10 minutes)

9. Cicilline (RI): Would limit the bill from taking effect in a state until the State Attorney General, head of the State police, and the Secretary of State have jointly certified that the other state's carry laws are substantially similar to its own licensing or permitting requirements. (10 minutes)

10. Reichert (WA): Would require a GAO study on the ability of state and local law enforcement authorities to verify the validity of out-of-state concealed firearms permits. (10 minutes)

The House reconvenes tomorrow at 10am. However, the schedule for floor votes is not yet posted on the House's website. Sebastian does report it should be voted on tomorrow.

Correction: As Sebastian points out, Rob Woodall (R-GA) is not anti-gun. Moreover, Dave Reichert (R-WA) is not either. I think his concerns about the bill stem from his service in law enforcement. He was the Sheriff of King County before going to Congress. Both Woodall and Reichert voted for H.Res. 463 which is considered a vote in favor of the eventual passage of HR 822.

Slow Facts On HR 822

I met Rob Morse on the last day of the recent Gun Rights Policy Conference. It turns out he was a fellow gun blogger and had a blog named Slow Facts. We spent a few hours in Chicago O'Hare chatting while waiting for our respective flights home, me to North Carolina and Rob to Southern California.

Rob is an engineer by training and he applies that same clarity of thought to piercing the gun prohibitionists' arguments against national reciprocity for concealed carry in this article.

Defenders of the existing feudal licensing scheme claim that their state has special needs. (Yes, there are a few “special needs” states in these United States. They have been taking the short bus for years now.) So what! Of course each state tests its drivers in slightly different ways to obtain a license. Some towns allow right turns at a red traffic light, and others don’t. We now post traffic signs so the regulations are explicit and not a matter of local knowledge. Gun laws also differ slightly from state to state, and most of the differences are similarly arbitrary.

It is as if California didn’t allow you to cross the border in your pickup truck because your truck is not on their list of approved vehicles. At the border they say, “In our state, we only let certain people drive that kind of truck. Now why would you be needing one?”

Don’t you recognize the same old political excuses?

• “People will be dying all over the place if we let you drive a truck like that in our state.
• “We have a long tradition of truck control, and it has served us well.
• “Only criminals drive that kind of truck and we won’t stand for it here.
• “Strangers simply don’t understand our system of truck regulation, and we need to keep foreign trucks out of their hands for their own protection.
• “You wouldn’t want one of our children to get their hands on a truck like this, now would you?
• “Our local government knows its citizens and determines the trucks that best serve their needs.”

Rob makes a very perceptive argument when he says that one of the major reasons some politicians oppose national reciprocity is that visitors will make the locals look bad by comparison. In other words, when the people of California or New York or New Jersey see visitors carrying concealed, legally and safely, they will begin to wonder why the heck they don't have the same rights as the visitors.

Read the whole post as it does an excellent job is demolishing the arguments of Mayor Bloomberg and his Illegal Mayors with their Our Lives, Our Laws campaign.

Rep. Cliff Stearns On HR 822 Moving Out Of Committee

Ginny Simone of NRA News interviewed Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) who is the sponsor of HR 822 - the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. Stearns has been pushing for national reciprocity for the last 10 years and is pleased to see it moving through the House.

HR 822 - What It Does And Doesn't Do

With HR 822 having passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on a 19-11 vote, it is important to understand what it does and doesn't do. Mayor Bloomberg and his Illegal Mayors are leading the charge against it from the anti-gun side. Moreover, there are some pro-gun activists such as the National Association for Gun Rights that claim it is a stealth bill for more Federal control. Finally, there is the false accusation in some quarters that the NRA-ILA was coming down on bloggers about the bill.

The impact of HR 822 on North Carolina will be minimal as Sean Sorrentino has pointed out. Effective December 1st, we have universal reciprocity and will recognize the permits from any other state.

In the video below, Cam Edwards interviews John Frazier, Research Director for NRA-ILA, on what the bill does and doesn't do.

Rep. Trey Gowdy On The HR 822 Hearings

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. He discussed HR 822 and the hearings with Ginny Simone of NRA News.

Wayne LaPierre On National Right To Carry Reciprocity

The House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security held hearings on Tuesday on HR 822 - the Nation Right-To-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. Wayne LaPierre was interviewed about the hearings and HR 822 by Ginny Simone of NRA News.

NCGV - Don't Be Like North Carolina

The Brady Campaign's North Carolina front group, North Carolinians Against Gun Violence, is opposed to HR 822 - the National Right-To-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. They just sent out the Tweet seen below:

They don't want the rest of the country to enjoy the same rights as North Carolinians come December 1st. For on that day, thanks to the passage of HB 650, North Carolina will recognize all out-of-state concealed handgun permits.

SECTION 22.(a) G.S. 14-415.24 reads as rewritten:
"§ 14-415.24. Reciprocity; out-of-state handgun permits.
(a) A valid concealed handgun permit or license issued by another state is valid in North Carolina if that state grants the same right to residents of North Carolina who have valid concealed handgun permits issued pursuant to this Article in their possession while carrying concealed weapons in that state.North Carolina.

I guess NCGV has their blinders on as they don't see the hypocrisy in making such a statement.

Witness List For House Judiciary Hearing On HR 822

The House Judiciary Committee has released their witness list for tomorrow's hearing on HR 822 - the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. It includes some very familiar names.

Witness List


Ms. Joyce Lee Malcolm
Professor of Law
George Mason University


Mr. David B. Kopel
Adjunct Professor
Denver University Sturm College of Law


Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey
Philadelphia Police Department

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey previously served as head of D.C.'s Metro Police Department. Prior to that he served in the Chicago Police Department for almost 30 years rising to the level of Deputy Superintendent. That background combined with the way the Philly PD has been treating gun owners leads me to believe that Ramsey will be the token witness to testify against HR 822.

Both Joyce Lee Malcolm and Dave Kopel have strong pro-gun credentials.

As Sebastian of Snowflakes in Hell notes today, "Let the hysterics begin." I think we can fully expect more counter-attacks on H.R. 822 by the likes of Mayor Bloomberg, the Brady Campaign, and VPC.

House Judiciary Committee Schedules Hearings On HR 822

The House Judiciary Committee has finally scheduled hearings on HR 822 - the National Right-To-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011.

9/13/2011

Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security

10:00 a.m. in the 2141 Rayburn House Office Building

Hearing on: H.R. 822, the "National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011"


By Direction of the Chairman

The bill introduced in February by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC) has 242 co-sponsors. The text of the bill and more info can be found here.

The recent campaign by the NRA-ILA to get people to call their Congressman seems to have had an impact. The bill has languished for months now without a hearing. This could also mean there is enough support in the Senate to get it passed this time. If so, it will be interesting to see what will happen if it gets to the President's desk.

Majority!

Thanks to a Tweat from Sean at A NC Gun blog, I saw that HR 822 - the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act - has now is co-sponsored by a majority of House members as of Friday. HR 308 is still stuck at 107.

Thanks to these Congressmen and Congressmen who pushed the bill up to 227 co-sponsors from the 200 previously reported..

Rep Royce, Edward R. [CA-40] - 5/10/2011
Rep Quayle, Benjamin [AZ-3] - 5/10/2011
Rep Upton, Fred [MI-6] - 5/10/2011
Rep Pitts, Joseph R. [PA-16] - 5/10/2011
Rep Pearce, Stevan [NM-2] - 5/10/2011
Rep Price, Tom [GA-6] - 5/10/2011
Rep Hurt, Robert [VA-5] - 5/10/2011
Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] - 5/11/2011
Rep Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [TN-3] - 5/11/2011
Rep Huizenga, Bill [MI-2] - 5/11/2011
Rep Walberg, Tim [MI-7] - 5/11/2011
Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] - 5/11/2011
Rep Rohrabacher, Dana [CA-46] - 5/11/2011
Rep Campbell, John [CA-48] - 5/11/2011
Rep Nunes, Devin [CA-21] - 5/13/2011
Rep Berg, Rick [ND] - 5/13/2011
Rep Noem, Kristi L. [SD] - 5/13/2011
Rep McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [WA-5] - 5/13/2011
Rep Ribble, Reid J. [WI-8] - 5/13/2011
Rep Ryan, Paul [WI-1] - 5/13/2011
Rep Burgess, Michael C. [TX-26] - 5/13/2011
Rep Shimkus, John [IL-19] - 5/13/2011
Rep Womack, Steve [AR-3] - 5/13/2011
Rep Black, Diane [TN-6] - 5/13/2011
Rep Kingston, Jack [GA-1] - 5/13/2011
Rep Young, C.W. Bill [FL-10] - 5/13/2011
Rep Cardoza, Dennis A. [CA-18] - 5/13/2011

As I said earlier, it is time for the House Judiciary Committee to have hearings on this bill.

Two Hundred!

A mere 37 days after HR 822 - the National Right-To-Carry Reciprocity Bill - hit 100 co-sponsors, the bill now has hit 200 co-sponsors. This makes it the third most co-sponsored bill in the House of Representatives. The only bills that have more co-sponsors deal with tax-payer funding of abortion (HR 3) and the repeal of 1099 filing requirements for small business transactions (HR 4).

I attribute the growth in the number of co-sponsors to Representatives hearing from their constituents. If you look at when significant numbers of co-sponsors sign on to the bill, it is usually within a few days after the House has had a break for members to work in their districts or a recess. For example, the Spring Recess was the last two weeks of April and now in the first week of May there are 29 new co-sponsors.

Breaking down the co-sponsors, you find 16 out of the 25 "official" Blue Dog Democrats are listed as co-sponsors. Of the nine remaining Blue Dogs, five are Californians including Adam Schiff and Loretta Sanchez who have always trended anti-gun. There are a number of other non-Blue Dogs Democrats who have always been pro-gun such as John Dingell (former NRA Board member), Larry Kissell (D-NC), and a number of the Democrats in the Mid-West, Mountain West, and Pennsylvania. Then there was Steve Cohen of Memphis who I wrote about yesterday. I can't figure out his support but I will take it anyway!

I was pleased to see every Republican and three Democrats from North Carolina listed as co-sponsors of the bill. This leaves the four North Carolina Democrats who rarely see an anti-gun bill that they don't eventually support.

With the amount of support that this bill has garnered, it is a bit disappointing that the leadership of the House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security haven't moved this bill. Maybe if Chairman Lamar Smith and Subcommittee Chair James Sensenbrenner were less concerned with the PATRIOT Act and kiddie porn and were co-sponsors of this bill, we might get some movement towards hearings on this bill.

Below is the list of those who have signed on as co-sponsors to Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) National Right-To-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. If your congressman is not on this, give him or her a call and ask why not. Do this even if they are ardently anti-gun. I remember something that Colleen Lawson - one of the plaintiffs in McDonald v. Chicago - said to me at the NRA Annual Meeting. She said her Illnois State Representative said she and her husband David were the only two that called his office in support of concealed carry in Illinois. Don't let that happen here.

Alphabetical with date of becoming a co-sponsor

Rep Adams, Sandy [FL-24] - 3/8/2011
Rep Aderholt, Robert B. [AL-4] - 3/29/2011
Rep Akin, W. Todd [MO-2] - 4/13/2011
Rep Alexander, Rodney [LA-5] - 4/7/2011
Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4] - 3/16/2011
Rep Austria, Steve [OH-7] - 4/14/2011
Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] - 4/15/2011
Rep Bachmann, Michele [MN-6] - 3/2/2011
Rep Bachus, Spencer [AL-6] - 3/8/2011
Rep Barletta, Lou [PA-11] - 4/13/2011
Rep Barrow, John [GA-12] - 4/13/2011
Rep Bartlett, Roscoe G. [MD-6] - 4/13/2011
Rep Barton, Joe [TX-6] - 3/2/2011
Rep Bass, Charles F. [NH-2] - 5/2/2011
Rep Benishek, Dan [MI-1] - 3/3/2011
Rep Bilbray, Brian P. [CA-50] - 4/15/2011
Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] - 3/11/2011
Rep Bishop, Rob [UT-1] - 4/7/2011
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2] - 3/3/2011
Rep Bonner, Jo [AL-1] - 4/8/2011
Rep Boren, Dan [OK-2] - 3/2/2011
Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] - 3/2/2011
Rep Boustany, Charles W., Jr. [LA-7] - 4/14/2011
Rep Brady, Kevin [TX-8] - 4/5/2011
Rep Brooks, Mo [AL-5] - 4/5/2011
Rep Broun, Paul C. [GA-10] - 4/8/2011
Rep Buchanan, Vern [FL-13] - 3/15/2011
Rep Bucshon, Larry [IN-8] - 4/13/2011
Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5] - 3/2/2011
Rep Camp, Dave [MI-4] - 4/4/2011
Rep Canseco, Francisco "Quico" [TX-23] - 3/8/2011
Rep Capito, Shelley Moore [WV-2] - 4/7/2011
Rep Carter, John R. [TX-31] - 3/2/2011
Rep Chabot, Steve [OH-1] - 4/13/2011
Rep Chaffetz, Jason [UT-3] - 3/3/2011
Rep Chandler, Ben [KY-6] - 4/13/2011
Rep Coble, Howard [NC-6] - 5/6/2011
Rep Coffman, Mike [CO-6] - 3/2/2011
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 5/2/2011
Rep Cole, Tom [OK-4] - 3/2/2011
Rep Conaway, K. Michael [TX-11] - 4/5/2011
Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] - 3/11/2011
Rep Cravaack, Chip [MN-8] - 4/15/2011
Rep Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" [AR-1] - 5/3/2011
Rep Crenshaw, Ander [FL-4] - 3/15/2011
Rep Critz, Mark S. [PA-12] - 3/17/2011
Rep Cuellar, Henry [TX-28] - 4/14/2011
Rep Culberson, John Abney [TX-7] - 4/14/2011
Rep Davis, Geoff [KY-4] - 3/3/2011
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] - 4/14/2011
Rep Denham, Jeff [CA-19] - 4/4/2011
Rep Dent, Charles W. [PA-15] - 3/16/2011
Rep DesJarlais, Scott [TN-4] - 4/14/2011
Rep Diaz-Balart, Mario [FL-21] - 3/2/2011
Rep Dingell, John D. [MI-15] - 4/15/2011
Rep Donnelly, Joe [IN-2] - 4/13/2011
Rep Duncan, Jeff [SC-3] - 3/29/2011
Rep Duncan, John J., Jr. [TN-2] - 3/2/2011
Rep Ellmers, Renee L. [NC-2] - 4/5/2011
Rep Emerson, Jo Ann [MO-8] - 3/8/2011
Rep Farenthold, Blake [TX-27] - 4/14/2011
Rep Fitzpatrick, Michael G. [PA-8] - 4/13/2011
Rep Fleming, John [LA-4] - 3/11/2011
Rep Flores, Bill [TX-17] - 4/5/2011
Rep Forbes, J. Randy [VA-4] - 3/29/2011
Rep Foxx, Virginia [NC-5] - 3/8/2011
Rep Franks, Trent [AZ-2] - 3/30/2011
Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] - 3/2/2011
Rep Gibbs, Bob [OH-18] - 3/15/2011
Rep Gibson, Christopher P. [NY-20] - 3/2/2011
Rep Gingrey, Phil [GA-11] - 3/2/2011
Rep Goodlatte, Bob [VA-6] - 5/2/2011
Rep Gosar, Paul A. [AZ-1] - 5/2/2011
Rep Gowdy, Trey [SC-4] - 5/6/2011
Rep Granger, Kay [TX-12] - 3/3/2011
Rep Graves, Sam [MO-6] - 3/2/2011
Rep Graves, Tom [GA-9] - 5/2/2011
Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] - 3/10/2011
Rep Griffin, Tim [AR-2] - 5/2/2011
Rep Griffith, H. Morgan [VA-9] - 3/15/2011
Rep Guinta, Frank C. [NH-1] - 4/5/2011
Rep Guthrie, Brett [KY-2] - 4/13/2011
Rep Hall, Ralph M. [TX-4] - 3/3/2011
Rep Hanna, Richard L. [NY-24] - 4/15/2011
Rep Harper, Gregg [MS-3] - 4/14/2011
Rep Harris, Andy [MD-1] - 3/10/2011
Rep Hartzler, Vicky [MO-4] - 5/5/2011
Rep Heck, Joseph J. [NV-3] - 3/30/2011
Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1] - 3/3/2011
Rep Heller, Dean [NV-2] - 3/2/2011
Rep Hensarling, Jeb [TX-5] - 3/30/2011
Rep Herger, Wally [CA-2] - 3/3/2011
Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] - 3/3/2011
Rep Huelskamp, Tim [KS-1] - 3/2/2011
Rep Hultgren, Randy [IL-14] - 5/2/2011
Rep Hunter, Duncan D. [CA-52] - 3/29/2011
Rep Jenkins, Lynn [KS-2] - 3/8/2011
Rep Johnson, Bill [OH-6] - 4/13/2011
Rep Johnson, Sam [TX-3] - 3/14/2011
Rep Johnson, Timothy V. [IL-15] - 3/3/2011
Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] - 4/7/2011
Rep Jordan, Jim [OH-4] - 3/11/2011
Rep Kelly, Mike [PA-3] - 4/8/2011
Rep Kind, Ron [WI-3] - 4/13/2011
Rep Kinzinger, Adam [IL-11] - 3/14/2011
Rep Kissell, Larry [NC-8] - 3/3/2011
Rep Kline, John [MN-2] - 3/8/2011
Rep Labrador, Raul R. [ID-1] - 5/2/2011
Rep Lamborn, Doug [CO-5] - 3/2/2011
Rep Landry, Jeffrey M. [LA-3] - 4/13/2011
Rep Lankford, James [OK-5] - 5/2/2011
Rep Larsen, Rick [WA-2] - 5/2/2011
Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] - 3/8/2011
Rep LaTourette, Steven C. [OH-14] - 4/13/2011
Rep Latta, Robert E. [OH-5] - 3/14/2011
Rep Long, Billy [MO-7] - 4/14/2011
Rep Lucas, Frank D. [OK-3] - 4/4/2011
Rep Luetkemeyer, Blaine [MO-9] - 3/29/2011
Rep Lujan, Ben Ray [NM-3] - 4/8/2011
Rep Mack, Connie [FL-14] - 4/7/2011
Rep Marchant, Kenny [TX-24] - 4/5/2011
Rep Marino, Tom [PA-10] - 4/15/2011
Rep Matheson, Jim [UT-2] - 4/14/2011
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] - 4/14/2011
Rep McClintock, Tom [CA-4] - 5/2/2011
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] - 3/8/2011
Rep McHenry, Patrick T. [NC-10] - 5/2/2011
Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] - 3/8/2011
Rep McKinley, David B. [WV-1] - 4/4/2011
Rep Mica, John L. [FL-7] - 3/3/2011
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] - 4/14/2011
Rep Miller, Candice S. [MI-10] - 3/16/2011
Rep Miller, Gary G. [CA-42] - 3/3/2011
Rep Miller, Jeff [FL-1] - 3/2/2011
Rep Mulvaney, Mick [SC-5] - 3/8/2011
Rep Murphy, Tim [PA-18] - 4/5/2011
Rep Myrick, Sue Wilkins [NC-9] - 5/2/2011
Rep Neugebauer, Randy [TX-19] - 4/14/2011
Rep Nugent, Richard [FL-5] - 3/17/2011
Rep Nunnelee, Alan [MS-1] - 5/2/2011
Rep Olson, Pete [TX-22] - 4/13/2011
Rep Owens, William L. [NY-23] - 3/2/2011
Rep Palazzo, Steven M. [MS-4] - 3/15/2011
Rep Pence, Mike [IN-6] - 3/2/2011
Rep Peterson, Collin C. [MN-7] - 3/3/2011
Rep Petri, Thomas E. [WI-6] - 3/8/2011
Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19] - 3/29/2011
Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] - 3/29/2011
Rep Pompeo, Mike [KS-4] - 3/17/2011
Rep Posey, Bill [FL-15] - 3/3/2011
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3] - 3/3/2011
Rep Reed, Tom [NY-29] - 4/4/2011
Rep Rehberg, Denny [MT] - 4/8/2011
Rep Renacci, James B. [OH-16] - 5/2/2011
Rep Rigell, E. Scott [VA-2] - 5/3/2011
Rep Rivera, David [FL-25] - 3/11/2011
Rep Roby, Martha [AL-2] - 5/3/2011
Rep Roe, David P. [TN-1] - 4/14/2011
Rep Rogers, Harold [KY-5] - 5/5/2011
Rep Rogers, Mike D. [AL-3] - 3/2/2011
Rep Rogers, Mike J. [MI-8] - 3/14/2011
Rep Rokita, Todd [IN-4] - 5/5/2011
Rep Rooney, Thomas J. [FL-16] - 4/7/2011
Rep Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [FL-18] - 4/8/2011
Rep Ross, Dennis [FL-12] - 3/11/2011
Rep Ross, Mike [AR-4] - 3/2/2011
Rep Ryan, Tim [OH-17] - 4/4/2011
Rep Scalise, Steve [LA-1] - 3/29/2011
Rep Schilling, Robert T. [IL-17] - 4/14/2011
Rep Schmidt, Jean [OH-2] - 3/2/2011
Rep Schock, Aaron [IL-18] - 3/29/2011
Rep Schweikert, David [AZ-5] - 4/15/2011
Rep Scott, Austin [GA-8] - 5/5/2011
Rep Scott, Tim [SC-1] - 5/2/2011
Rep Sessions, Pete [TX-32] - 4/7/2011
Rep Shuler, Heath [NC-11] - 2/18/2011
Rep Shuster, Bill [PA-9] - 4/4/2011
Rep Smith, Adrian [NE-3] - 4/14/2011
Rep Southerland, Steve [FL-2] - 5/5/2011
Rep Stivers, Steve [OH-15] - 4/13/2011
Rep Stutzman, Marlin A. [IN-3] - 5/6/2011
Rep Sullivan, John [OK-1] - 3/29/2011
Rep Terry, Lee [NE-2] - 3/30/2011
Rep Thompson, Glenn [PA-5] - 4/5/2011
Rep Thornberry, Mac [TX-13] - 3/16/2011
Rep Tiberi, Patrick J. [OH-12] - 3/16/2011
Rep Tipton, Scott [CO-3] - 5/2/2011
Rep Turner, Michael R. [OH-3] - 3/8/2011
Rep Walden, Greg [OR-2] - 5/2/2011
Rep Walsh, Joe [IL-8] - 4/15/2011
Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1] - 3/29/2011
Rep West, Allen B. [FL-22] - 3/3/2011
Rep Westmoreland, Lynn A. [GA-3] - 3/2/2011
Rep Whitfield, Ed [KY-1] - 4/14/2011
Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] - 3/8/2011
Rep Wittman, Robert J. [VA-1] - 3/10/2011
Rep Wolf, Frank R. [VA-10] - 3/30/2011
Rep Yoder, Kevin [KS-3] - 4/8/2011
Rep Young, Don [AK] - 3/2/2011
Rep Young, Todd C. [IN-9] - 3/30/2011