By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. Several members of the Alabama Congressional delegation shared their opinions on the bill with the Alabama Political Reporter.
U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, said in a statement that this bill aims to protect the Second Amendment right to bear arms by ensuring that individuals qualified to carry a concealed handgun in their home state can also carry a firearm across state lines. Brooks is an original cosponsor of the act, which passed the House by a vote of 231-198.
“Today’s House passage of concealed carry reciprocity is a win both for gun owners everywhere and for the Second Amendment right to bear arms,” Brooks said. “Constitutional rights don’t end at state lines. This bill helps to ensure that all Americans are able to protect themselves and their families from criminals and terrorists when traveling from state to state.”
Rep. Brooks concluded, “If H.R. 38 is enacted into law, then every citizen’s Constitutional right to carry concealed firearms will be protected and promoted. The Second Amendment is not only a matter of public safety for law-abiding citizens, it is a fundamental part of America’s Bill of Rights. In that vein, I am proud to protect the Second Amendment and promote concealed carry reciprocity.”
U.S. Rep. Bradly Byrne, R-Montrose, said, “A citizen’s Second Amendment right should not end when they cross state lines. Under current law, a gun owner is subject to criminal and civil risk by simply exercising their constitutional right to carry their firearm when traveling. With this strong Second Amendment legislation, we can provide much needed clarity and help make our country a safer place.”
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Hoover, wrote, “As a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment, I am a proud cosponsor of and voted in favor of H.R. 38 today. This bill protects the constitutional right for law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms and ensures that the right does not end when you cross a state line. Overreaching restrictions placed on gun ownership are not only unconstitutional, they inevitably harm law-abiding citizens and do little to dissuade the illegal use of firearms. It is important to note that this bill would not apply to individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm under current federal law.”
U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, speaking on the floor of the House said, “H.R. 38 – the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 – simply ensures all law-abiding citizens who meet the requirements to obtain concealed carry permits in their home states can enjoy exercise the right to protect themselves in any state provided that they obey local concealed carry laws.”
“Those of us who respect the Second Amendment and dedicate our careers to defending it will always fight to protect this fundamental right from those who would erode it,” Rep. Roby added. “But, Mr. Speaker, we also have a responsibility to uphold and enforce our current laws to ensure dangerous people can’t obtain weapons. In fact, it is precisely because we want to preserve our Second Amendment rights that we must ensure our criminal background check system works properly.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, said on social media, “As a strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights, I was proud to support the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. This common-sense legislation will allow any law-abiding gun owners to concealed carry across state lines without penalty. I am pleased this bill passed the House today.”
The legislation is supported by the National Rifle Association. The NRA wrote that the legislation “simply seeks to shift the law to the side of those who obey the rules so they – and not just the criminals – can exercise what the U.S. Supreme Court called ‘the right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation’ in any state where their travels may take them.”
The act passed the House by a vote of 231 to 198, which has not passed a lot of Trump Agenda legislation to this point in the year. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act being a notable exception.
