‘It is for honest and law-abiding citizens who deserve to have the means to protect themselves,’ the officials say.
Two dozen Republican attorneys general called on Congress in a letter to pass a House bill that would allow people with concealed carry permits to carry firearms in all states that allow the practice.
“Concealed carry is a constitutional right, and it can have substantial public safety benefits by allowing people the means to respond to emergent threats to themselves or others when police are not immediately available to intervene,” wrote 24 state attorneys general in a May 21 letter that was sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
“Our constituents are threatened with arrest, prosecution, and mandatory prison time for technical violations of licensing or possession laws involving conduct that is perfectly legal in all but a handful of states, most of which have well-established history and practice of suppressing the right to keep and bear arms,” they added, describing the situation as unacceptable.
Earlier this year, HR 38, or the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.).
In urging the bill’s passage, the state officials said that “criminals … do not wait for permission to carry guns,” meaning that HR 38 would not be for them. “It is for honest and law-abiding citizens who deserve to have the means to protect themselves, should they have the misfortune of needing to use a firearm in self-defense or the defense of their loved ones,” they wrote.
Johnson, who was a co-sponsor of the bill when it was introduced in the 117th Congress, has not made any public comments on the measure. The Epoch Times has contacted his office for comment.
Groups such as Everytown for Gun Safety have been critical of Republican-backed congressional measures that would expand concealed carry reciprocity in states.
