SACRAMENTO, CA (December 6, 2017) — Following today’s vote in the House of Representatives to pass concealed carry reciprocity legislation and make changes to the Federal background check system, civil rights advocacy organization Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) has issued the following statement:

Today, the House of Representatives acted to pass what may very well become the most important right to bear arms bill in history. We wish to thank Congressman Richard Hudson for his bold and courageous leadership on this issue, as well as every House member who co-sponsored and voted for this important measure to protect and advance constitutional rights. 

Having firsthand experience with hostile, anti-gun jurisdictions and their efforts to deprive people of their fundamental, individual right to bear arms, we applaud this excellent first step in restoring access to the Second and Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantees of individual liberty. 

And while we strongly oppose recent additions that give “extra-special gun rights” to Federal judges and other government workers which are not available to law-abiding citizens, we will continue to work towards passage of a strong carry reciprocity framework as well as communicate our concerns and suggestions for reasonable, commonsense amendments to better protect law-abiding people.

Because this issue is so very important to millions of Americans, especially those who live in and visit states with harsh gun control laws like California, New Jersey, and New York, we look forward to working with our friends in the Senate to improve and pass the bill so that the right to bear arms will no longer stop at state borders or city lines.

Moreover, we will continue to work towards improving the Fix NICS Act through amendments that protect against anti-gun executive agencies and bureaucrats, as well as establishing a system that allows people to check their firearm eligibility and correct defects in their record before police officers are sent to their homes.

A copy of FPC’s written testimony regarding the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act and the Fix NICS Act passed by the House today can be viewed or downloaded at http://passhr38.com, where gun owners who wish to send letters to Congress may use FPC’s free Grassroots Action Tools.

Firearms Policy Coalition (www.firearmspolicy.org) is a 501(c)4 grassroots nonprofit organization. FPC’s mission is to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, especially the fundamental, individual Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.