You may have heard talk about a bill or bills in the United States Congress that would allow you to carry a concealed handgun in any state with your New Hampshire Resident Pistol/Revolver license. This idea has been around for some time and it is supported by both the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition and our partners at Gun Owners of America.
You may ask, why are you telling me this now if it has been around for some time? We are telling you now for 2 reasons, first, the bill could receive a vote as an amendment to the budget bill any day now; and second, S. 498, which is sponsored by US Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) is the first bill which we have seen that is friendly to Constitutional Carry states. The identical bill has been introduced in the House by Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Indiana)as H.R. 923.
The Cornyn/Stutzman bill does not force residents of Vermont, Alaska, Arizona and Wyoming to grovel to a government bureaucrat for permission to exercise their right to self defense. They would be able to carry anywhere under S. 498 / H.R. 923 just like they do at home!
Some Second Amendment activists are opposed to this bill. They have made false claims about what the bill really does and are calling this legislation a “Trojan Horse”. S. 498 / H.R. 923 is anything but a “Trojan Horse”.
GOA has a two-pronged strategy to (1) pass the Cornyn/Stutzman reciprocity bill; which would allow Americans from “constitutional carry” states to carry nationally without any permit, and (2) work to turn large numbers of additional states into “constitutional carry” states. People from states which require permits would have to show those permits in order to benefit from reciprocity, and we believe this would be an incentive for those states to adopt a “constitutional carry” system.
Think about it: The prospects of allowing Vermonters to carry in New York City — or anywhere else they want — without a permit is one of the most effective advancements for Second Amendment values which we could enact. And, if there is any “Trojan Horse” here, it is the “Trojan Horse” that comes from Americans from pro-gun, free states being able to carry, without a license, in precisely the same states where the indigenous population has been completely stripped of their constitutional rights.
Ultimately, the “locals” are going to look around and ask themselves “Why can that guy protect his family, and not me?” Just to make it clear: PRO-GUN RECIPROCITY LEGISLATION LESSENS THE PROSPECTS FOR A “NATIONAL CARRY PERMIT.” You can take this to the bank: The idea of a “national carry permit” has, long ago, occurred to Chuck Schumer, and he will implement it at any time he has the political ability to do so. And the best way to defeat Schumer is to force New York to recognize the constitutional rights of Americans from non-repressive states. WE WOULD BE FOOLS IF WE ALLOW THE “FEDERALISM” ARGUMENT TO DETER US FROM PROMOTING THE FEDERAL SECOND AMENDMENT AS A GOD-GIVEN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, BINDING ON THE STATES.
Consider that the 1986 Firearms Owners Protection act has served us well for 29 years. It has kept free Americans out of New York jails because it forces states to allow the unloaded transport of firearms through their states without a local license or permit. The Cornyn bill is a much needed update of this law and will keep otherwise law abiding New Hampshire residents out of New York jails for conduct that is lawful at home.
States do not have a right to tear up the Second Amendment. VICTORY FEEDS UPON ITSELF. And the gun movement is best served by passing attainable legislation to force New York and California to recognize the Second Amendment values they abhor. President Obama will not be stopped or even slowed just because we refuse to push for our Constitutional rights. President Obama has spent every day since the Newtown tragedy working to take away our Second Amendment rights, usually by executive fiat. Forcing him to do the right thing, at least on reciprocity, is not a bad thing. And forcing him to fight the pro-active advance of the Second Amendment will lessen his ability to try to do bad things to us.
It is far, better, and to our advantage, to have laws prohibiting New York and California from doing anti-gun things that not to have such laws. Will an occasional New York rogue police officer ignore the law? Sure. That’s what lawyers and courts are for. But it’s far better having New York’s anti-gun police stuck on the wrong side of the law — than having gun owners in that position. Bottom line: Support the Cornyn/Stutzman reciprocity bill.
Action Items:
Contact BOTH US Senators for New Hampshire, ask them to support S. 498 whether it is introduced as a stand alone bill or as an amendment to the budget resolution.
Click here to contact Senator Ayotte or call her at 603-622-7979 or 603-880-3335 OR 603-752-7702
and Click here to contact Senator Shaheen or call her at (603) 647-7500 OR (603) 883-0196 OR (603) 358-6604
Remember to be polite but firm when you ask Senators Ayotte and Shaheen to support this important amendment that will keep law abiding Granite Staters out of jail. Remind Senator Ayotte that on her 2010 NHFC Federal Candidate Survey, she PROMISED to support Nationwide Concealed Carry recognition.
Please also remember to contact Congressman Frank Guinta , (202) 225-5456 or (603) 641-9536 and
Congresswoman Ann Kuster or by phone, (202) 225-5206,(603) 226-1002,(603) 595-2006, (603) 444-7700
Please tell both Members of Congress that you support Rep. Stutzman’s national concealed carry recognition bill, H.R. 923.
Keep fighting.
In Liberty,
Jonathan R. Evans, Esq.
President – NHFC
