Seeking to end the confusion over the nation’s patchwork quilt of gun-rights laws, an Arizona congressman will introduce a bill today to force the federal government — and, by implication, even states like New York and California — to recognize other states’ concealed-carry permits.
Congressman David Schweikert (R – Ariz.) plans to introduce legislation Thursday that if passed will require Washington D.C., an area that functions as a ward of the federal government, to recognize and honor concealed carry permits from all 50 states.
The D.C. Personal Protection Reciprocity Act will do three main things:
1) require D.C. to recognize out of state concealed carry permits
2) require D.C. to approve concealed carry applications of recently relocated individuals who lawfully hold concealed carry permits in the states where they moved from
3) require the D.C. chief of Police, currently Chief Cathy Lanier, to enter into reciprocity agreements with all state
“We have the data that you [concealed carry holders] are not a risk to society,” Schweikert tells Townhall. “We can demonstrate that proper law enforcement and right to carry has made many of our states safer.”
UPDATE: The bill’s ostensibly aimed at the District of Columbia but, practically, that means at the federal government, the center of the gun-rights debate. The goal is force the feds to recognize the universality of the Second Amendment (which, via recent Supreme Court decisions, has been “incorporated” into the states).
Schweikert intends to launch a bill that would require Washington, D.C., to recognize concealed-carry licenses from other states… Schweikert said the president’s speech amounted to “political theater.” He said research he has seen shows the president’s proposals would “make zero difference” in reducing gun violence. If Democrats want Congress to pass bipartisan measures, Republicans have given them options, Schweikert said.
Having established gay marriage by fiat via its ideological sympathizers on the Supreme Court — thus circumventing established legislation in the majority of states — the Left really can’t kick about this one. If marriage laws (which are not covered in the federal constitution) are to be regularized, then why not something that actually is mentioned, prominently, in the Second Amendment?
The legislation currently has more than 30 co-sponsors and the list is growing. Schweikert says this legislation has been in the works for six months and is not a response to President Obama’s executive actions on gun control earlier this week.
Sauce for the goose, and all that.
This post has been updated for clarity.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member