Results tagged “concealedgun”

The U.S. Senate voted 58-39 to reject an amendment "allowing a person with a concealed weapon permit in one state to also hide his firearm when visiting another state." The AP adds, "Opponents prevailed in their argument that the measure violated states rights by forcing states with stringent requirements for permits to recognize concealed weapons carriers from states that give out permits to almost any gun owner." Senator Chuck Schumer, who along with fellow NY Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand voted against the amendment, said, "This was a narrow escape. We just breathe a sigh of relief that we've kept to the principle of trying to keep America safer." Politico notes that essentially all the pro-gun Democrats voted for the bill and two Republicans—George Voinovich of Ohio and Dick Lugar of Indiana—voted against it; plus, "In some ways, this is also a victory of sorts for Majority Leader Harry Reid, who was able to make a pro-gun vote to please the 2010 voters in Nevada without really facing any consequences in terms of actual policy." You can see the geographic and party breakdown of the vote here.

To no one's surprise, Mayor Bloomberg, who is also founder of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, is criticizing the proposed amendment that would allow people with guns registered in states that allow concealed weapons to keep their guns concealed when in NY State. PolitickerNY reports that Bloomberg called the amendment, offered by Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota), "a terrible piece of legislation": The mayor "said that there had been no public hearings on the amendment, and said it was being attached to a military spending bill, providing senators an excuse to vote for it. Bloomberg said if the amendment stood alone, it would not pass, and that 'the hypocrisy of tying it to the safety our young men and women who are overseas is just so outrageous.'" Mayors Against Illegal Guns also ran an ad in USA Today against the amendment today.

Senator Charles Schumer is speaking out against a bill that would allow people from states where concealed gun are legal to carry their concealed weapons in states where concealed guns are illegal. He said, "Right now you walk down the streets in New York or Nassau County or Westchester County, you can have the solace of knowing that if someone has a gun on them, they've gone through a rigorous background check. After this law, you can have no such comfort." The bill was proposed by Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota); the Washington Post has an editorial explaining, "It would make concealed-carry permits akin to driver's licenses. If you meet the requirements for concealed carry in your home state, your permit would be honored in another... Conservatives usually argue against the federal government telling states what they can and can't do. If approved, the Thune amendment would trample all over the rights of states and cities to enforce reasonable restrictions on gun ownership. There are already enough guns on America's streets. A vote for Mr. Thune's bill would make them that much more dangerous."