House GOP votes concealed carry mandate out of committee, a push to make America more dangerous

WASHINGTON — GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, responded to the House Judiciary Committee voting the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38) out of committee along party lines. This dangerous bill would allow people to carry hidden guns nationwide—even if they have no training and have never passed a background check. It is opposed by law enforcement.

Violent crime rates rose 13–15% in states that weakened their standards for concealed carry, and states that ended live-fire training requirements by adopting permitless carry laws saw a 32% increase in gun assaults. Data shows that loopholes and flawed gun laws increase the risk of violence against police.

“This legislation is a dramatic infringement on states’ rights and would be disastrous for gun crime and law enforcement safety in our country. It would allow anyone with a gun to carry a hidden one in public. Violent crime rises when state concealed carry standards are weakened, and this would weaken the standard in every single state. It would also endanger police and make their jobs harder. If members of Congress care about fighting gun crime and keeping their communities safe, they will oppose this bill; otherwise the consequences are in their hands,” said GIFFORDS Executive Director Emma Brown. 

In addition to advancing this dangerous legislation, the House Judiciary Committee is also scheduled to advance several bills that would undermine public safety, including H.R. 60, the Knife Owners Protection Act of 2025 which allows the unrestricted carry of a knife across state lines; the NICS Data Reporting Act; and the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA) Reform Act.