Vote on Right to Carry Coming Soon

[Bman505]

Friday, July 17, 2009

A vote to protect your right to travel out-of-state with a firearm could
come to a vote next week -- even as early as Monday!

Senators John Thune and David Vitter are the sponsors of S. 845 -- a
bill that will establish concealed carry reciprocity amongst the several
states.

Senators Thune and Vitter offered the bill as an amendment (#1618) to
the Department of Defense authorization bill (H.R. 2647).

This provision will use the constitutional authority allowing Congress
to enforce "full faith and credit" across the country, so that each
state respects the "public acts, records, and judicial proceedings" of
every other state (Article IV).

The benefit of the Thune/Vitter legislation is that -- unlike other,
competing measures -- it would protect the right of any U.S. citizen to
carry out of state (regardless of whether he possesses a permit), as
long as he is authorized to carry in his home state. This is important
because of states like Vermont and Alaska, where residents can carry
concealed without prior approval or permission from the state... in
other words, without a permit!

ACTION: Please urge your Senators to vote YES on the Thune/Vitter
concealed carry reciprocity amendment that will be offered to the
Department of Defense authorization bill and NO on any modifying
amendments. This vote could come as early as Monday, so please act on
this right away!

You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Senators the
pre-written e-mail message below.


----- Pre-written letter -----

Dear Senator:

Please support the Thune/Vitter amendment to the Department of Defense
authorization bill. This amendment will protect the right of citizens to
carry firearms outside of their home state without violating the rights
of the other states. Thus, the reciprocity 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 Thune/Vitter concealed carry amendment and to
oppose any modifying actions that seek to weaken their amendment.

Sincerely,

[AGust82]

This would be great and I've done my part to support it but I'm not expecting it to pass.
Massachusetts and New York don't even respect the federal tranport law. A guy I know from here in CT was traveling to VT for a shooting competition and went through MA to get there. He was pulled over and when asked if there were any guns in the car he explained the situation, locked cases in the trunk and ammo in luggage in the back seat, headed to a legal place. He was pulled from the car, arrested, and car and guns confiscated. In the end he didn't get in to any trouble but it did cost hims lots of money in legal fees and a few valuable guns that were never returned. States like this don't repect our rights and will vote accordingly.

[Bman505]

This would be great and I've done my part to support it but I'm not expecting it to pass.
Massachusetts and New York don't even respect the federal transport law. A guy I know from here in CT was traveling to VT for a shooting competition and went through MA to get there. He was pulled over and when asked if there were any guns in the car he explained the situation, locked cases in the trunk and ammo in luggage in the back seat, headed to a legal place. He was pulled from the car, arrested, and car and guns confiscated. In the end he didn't get in to any trouble but it did cost hims lots of money in legal fees and a few valuable guns that were never returned. States like this don't respect our rights and will vote accordingly.

That sucks. I thought it was legal as long as the final destination allows firearms. So if i was heading to Wyoming from New Mexico and drove through Colorado, got pulled over it would be fine as long as I was not staying in Colorado. At least that is what I was told.

[AGust82]

You are right. It has to be unloaded and locked up (the case the pistol came in is acceptable) in the trunk, or if you don't have a trunk in a place other than the console or glovebox while traveling through unfriendly States. The judge ruled this correctly but that doesn't change the fact that it cost him money and his guns.

I believe when you are in transit with a firearm through unfriendly states you may bring it in to a hotel room overnight to avoid theft but it must remain locked up and unloaded.

[Jizzle]

agust82

did he sue?

[Bman505]

The U.S. Senate is now considering the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 1390). As a part of the consideration of that legislation, Senators John Thune (R-SD) and David Vitter (R-LA) will offer an amendment this week to provide for interstate recognition of Right-to-Carry permits. There is a very high likelihood of a Senate floor vote on this important and timely pro-gun reform between now and Wednesday.

Now is the time for Congress to recognize that the right to self-defense does not end at state lines. Under the Thune-Vitter amendment, an individual who has met the requirements for a carry permit, or who is otherwise allowed by his home state's state law to carry a firearm, would be authorized to carry a firearm for protection in any other state that issues such permits, subject to the laws of the state in which the firearm is carried.

Contrary to "states' rights" claims from opponents who usually favor sweeping federal gun control, the amendment is a legitimate exercise of Congress's constitutional power to protect the fundamental rights of citizens (including the right to keep and bear arms and the right of personal mobility). States would still have the authority to regulate the time, place and manner in which handguns are carried.

Expanding Right-to-Carry will enhance public safety, and certainly poses no threat to the public. Criminals are deterred from attempting crimes when they know or suspect that their prospective victims are armed. A study for the Department of Justice found that 40 percent of felons had not committed crimes because they feared the prospective victims were armed. The Thune-Vitter amendment recognizes that competent, responsible, law-abiding Americans still deserve our trust and confidence when they cross state lines. Passing interstate Right-to-Carry legislation will help further reduce crime by deterring criminals, and -- most important of all -- will protect the right of honest Americans to protect themselves if deterrence fails.

The Thune-Vitter Amendment represents a giant step forward in the protection of the basic right to self-defense. Its passage will recognize that the rights of law-abiding Right-to-Carry permit holders should be respected, even when they travel outside their home state.

Gun control groups, including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" are running ads trying to scare your lawmakers and the American people into opposing this crucial Right-to-Carry reform. It is critical that your U.S. Senators hear from you immediately.

Please be sure to contact both of your U.S. Senators today, and urge them to cosponsor and support the Thune-Vitter interstate right to carry recipocity amendment. E-mail and call them immediately!

To find contact information for your U.S. Senators, please click here (http://capwiz.com/nra/dbq/officials/), or call (202) 224-3121.

[Jizzle]

that bill makes too much sense. there's no chance in hell.

[Jizzle]

and whats funny is the fact that the opposition comes from states like new jersey, california, new york and illinois. hmm what do all of these states have in commmon?

retardedly strict gun control laws. and what else do they have in common? hmm what about extremely high violent crime rates.. what about, super dense population areas. IE los angeles, chicago, new york city and just new jersey as a whole.

in chicago there is a priest who's flying an american flag upside down outside his church because he wants guns banned in chicago.. um, wait.. guns are banned in chicago there buddy. um, can someone fill him in on the details please?

its amazing that they are still beating the drum of "stiffer gun control" when the areas in the U.S. with the strongest most "infringing" gun control laws have the highest violent crime rates in the U.S. statistically. "guns put peoples lives at risk"... i've heard that line more times than "i know you are but what am i?" and lets face it, growing up in the 80s and 90s we all heard that a hell of a lot. People put other peoples lives at risk. that's how it goes. And the people that knowingly and purposley mean to harm another person should be delt with.

[Colt 45]

It looks like the amendment will be voted on tomorrow. I have sent my senators a letter urging them to support this, and followed up with a phone call to both of them today. I can't wait to see how they vote.

Max

[Colt 45]

It looks like we missed it by 2 votes. Senator Bingaman voted "Nay", while Udall voted "Yea". You can see the roll call vote here:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00237#state

Max

[Jizzle]

too much sense.