Gabby Giffords on House Judiciary Committee Vote to Approve Concealed Carry Reciprocity
November 29, 2017 — Today, gun violence prevention advocates from Giffords, including former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, condemned the passage of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 in the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation is now expected to be voted on by the full House of Representatives.
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Co-Founder of Giffords:
Earlier this morning before the hearing, Captain Mark Kelly discussed the dangerous impact concealed carry reciprocity would have on public safety across the country. Listen to Kelly’s remarks here.
Peter Ambler, Executive Director of Giffords:
“Communities in Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs are still reeling from how much loss mass shooters inflicted on them. At the same time, today Congress moved to weaken public safety. Politicians in DC like to talk about how hard they work to keep those they represent safe. This vote on concealed carry reciprocity proves that it’s all talk. In an attempt to give the gun lobby their number one priority, Congress is violating the public trust. Allowing individuals with loaded, hidden weapons anywhere in our country is not what the public or law enforcement wants. This is a shameful day but elections have consequences. The American people are fed up with leaders who pay lip service to courage and refuse to act on it. We will be watching to see who actually champions gun safety – and acting.”
David Chipman, Giffords Senior Policy Advisor and a retired 25-year ATF veteran:
“The gun violence crisis has claimed the lives of over 500 law enforcement officers in the past decade. But Congress pushed forward a bill that would make it easier for dangerous individuals to carry guns and go after officers and the communities they protect. This is unacceptable. Politicians should be listening to the law enforcement experts that say federally mandated concealed carry reciprocity will hurt public safety. It’s time for them to show they can stand up to gun manufacturers who are more concerned with profits than the lives of public servants.”
The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 is opposed by law enforcement leaders across the country who say it will put officers at risk and make communities less safe. Concealed carry reciprocity threatens public safety by forcing states with strong concealed carry laws to honor permits from states with weak or nonexistent concealed carry laws, undermining current state permitting standards.
Currently, states have the right to choose which states’ concealed carry permits they recognize, which is important because the requirements to carry hidden, loaded guns in public vary drastically from state to state. If the concealed carry reciprocity bill passes, that will no longer be the case.
The following firearms law and law enforcement experts are available for interviews:
- Peter Ambler, Executive Director, Giffords
- Robyn Thomas, Executive Director, Giffords Law Center
- David Chipman, Former ATF Agent, Senior Policy Advisor, Giffords
- Robin Lloyd, Director of Government Affairs, Giffords
- Lindsay Nichols, Federal Policy Director, Giffords Law Center
Related Resources: Visit this page on the Giffords website to read more about Concealed Carry Reciprocity. Highlighted resources include:
- Federally Mandated Concealed Carry Reciprocity : This fact sheet provides a summary of H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.
- 7 Myths About Concealed Carry, Debunked : Here are 7 myths about concealed carry reciprocity the gun lobby wants you to believe, and the facts that bust them.
- What’s Training Got To Do With It : This post explains how training standards for concealed firearms permits vary dramatically from state to state.