Senator Vitter To Offer Concealed Carry Reciprocity Amendment

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Senator Vitter To Offer Concealed Carry Reciprocity Amendment
-- Action needed right away!
Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102
Springfield, VA 22151
(703)321-8585
Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Senator David Vitter (R-LA) has filed a pro-gun amendment to HR 980, and it could be voted on as early as tomorrow!

This amendment would protect the right of citizens to carry concealed weapons (outside of their home state) in states that allow concealed carry.

Sen. Vitter explains that his amendment does not violate the rights of states as it "does NOT establish national standards for concealed carry, nor does it provide for a national carry permit."

In other words, the Vitter amendment specifically says that state laws concerning specific types of locations in which firearms may not be carried shall be followed. "My amendment will not federalize concealed carry permits but simply requires concealed carry permits to be recognized in other states that allow concealed carry permits," Vitter said.

This is a real reciprocity provision which grants citizens the "full faith and credit" protection that is guaranteed in Article IV of the Constitution.

Section 1 of this article says:

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records, and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Vitter says that this constitutional provision authorizes the Congress to pass legislation forcing each state to recognize the "public Acts" of other states. So if states are not willing to recognize another state's laws, Congress has the authority to pass laws to require recognition of those measures.

It's just like with driver's licenses. If certain states refused to honor the driver's licenses of citizens in other states, Congress could pass legislation (under Article IV) to require every state to honor all licenses.

ACTION: Please urge your Senators to vote for the Vitter amendment to HR 980 to protect the right to carry concealed firearms outside of your home state.

You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center to send your Senators the pre-written e-mail message below. And, you can call your Senators at 202-224-3121 or toll-free at 1-877-762-8762.
----- Pre-written letter -----

Dear Senator:

Please support the Vitter amendment to HR 980. This amendment will protect the right of citizens to carry firearms outside of their home state without violating the rights of other states. Thus, the Vitter language masterfully protects the principle of federalism while also promoting Second Amendment rights.

A person's right to defend himself and his family should not end at the border of his state.

I urge you to vote for the Vitter concealed carry amendment.

Sincerely,

http://www.gunowners.org/a051308.htm

 

[penguin]

I'm sorry, but I think that will soundly be defeated.

 

[Charlie Xray]

In principle I am very much in favor of this, but two things strike me.

1) States are working out agreements on reciprocity. Most of the states that have CHP recognize the LA license. Some states have very loose requirements and others rather strict. This difference is sometimes a deal killer, but it seems to be generally working rather well as is, albeit it could be better. I dislike the Feds getting involved in something that is really a states issue.

2) "Vitter says that this constitutional provision authorizes the Congress to pass legislation forcing each state to recognize the "public Acts" of other states." This part bothers me as well. There are many liberal states that have laws that I have a real problem with. For example would the Vitter amendment be used to require other states to recognize California's same sex marriage law?

CX

 

[greg t]

on the surface, this sounds like a good idea. BUT i am not for it at all. we need a SMALLER federal government with less intrusion on already dwindling states' rights.