Virginia – -(Ammoland.com)- National Concealed Carry Reciprocity, H.R. 38, is up for a vote ON WEDNESDAY in the U.S. House of Representatives!
However, there is a twist. I received a call from one of Virginia’s Representatives letting me know that Republican leadership has combined H.R. 38 with H.R. 4434 (which is the “Fix NICS Act”).
So both bills will either pass or fail with the same vote. 🙁
After conferring with the Virginia Citizens Defense League Board and one of our attorneys, Virginia Citizens Defense League is going to continue supporting H.R. 38, even when combined with H.R. 4434.
The combined bill is supported by at least two national gun rights organizations: Gun Owners of America and the NRA. The idea is that gun owners will gain far more by having National Reciprocity than would be lost to the bad parts of the Fix NICS component.
There are various theories floating around as to whether combining the bills is either a good strategy that will help get National Reciprocity onto the President’s desk or a horrible strategy that will only get the Fix NICS bill on his desk. Should National Reciprocity die in the Senate, but Fix NICS survive, we will then contact our Representatives to kill the Fix NICS bill and also ask the President to veto the Fix NICS bill unless National Reciprocity is also put on his desk.
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) is working to get an amendment to improve the Fix NICS part of the bill. That would be an ideal solution.
Virginia Citizens Defense League will push CCRKBA’s amendment to Fix NICS once we know which Representative is carrying it and once we can verify the wording.
You will be updated once I know more about the CCRKBA’s proposed amendments, hopefully on Tuesday. You will also be updated on the disposition of H.R. 38 once I find out how the vote went on Wednesday.
About Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL):
Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.
For more information, visit: www.vcdl.org.
There should not have to be a national reciprocity bill. Under the Full Faith & Credit clause of the Constitution, drivers’ licenses, marriages, etc of one state are honored by other states. Why would a carry permit not be granted the same right, especially since the right to keep and bear arms is guaranteed by the 2nd amendment. This is another instance of the govt taking a guaranteed right and making it a privilege.
Also included is an investigate and pick-up provision in cases where a gun may have been sold and deliveered to a prohibited person. I this this is new. “SEC. 108. Notification to law enforcement agencies of prohibited purchase of a firearm. “(a) In general.—In the case of a background check conducted by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System pursuant to the request of a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer of firearms (as such terms are defined in section 921 of title 18, United States Code), which background check determines that the receipt of a firearm by a… Read more »
The bills should be separated. The reciprocal agreement shouldn’t even be necessary since the right to bear arms comes from the Constitution of the United States and supersedes state law. As far as “fixing” NICS, no one who is denied due process should be on a list that denies their Constitutional rights.
As soon as they pass a federal law they start changing it to suit them not us I think its a backdoor to ban gun carrying altogether.
I find the mentions of combining 4434 with 38 a bit strange – there’s nothing reported on congress.gov to support this. 4434 has not left committee. But another FixNICS bill, HR 4477 left committee yesterday, but is not on the House calendar this week. Regarding HR 38, the last action: “Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 645 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 38 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments.”… Read more »
@JoeUSooner: Frankly, I oppose the entire NICS system. It is an utter failure save for one thing; forcing lawabiding citizens to prove they have not committed a crime before they can purchase a firearm. There are, currently, secret lists that NICS maintains and if you’re on them it can take years, cost thousands and deny you the RIGHT to purchase a firearm until some bureaucrat, after an undetermined period of time, finally says “oh, okay, I guess it’s okay if you go ahead and buy that gun”. That reduces a RIGHT down to Govt permission.
Funny, the notices that I have received from GoA do not support combining much less the oppressive parts of the fix NICS bill.
Yes I agree. Also do I not understand right that the NICS bill also calls for keeping gun purchase records indifferently?Even though it is thought by many that records are now kept indifferently it is my understanding that the law as now written requires those purchase records to be destroyed after a certain amount of time. Any info on this?
The law is an improvemnt for gun buyers because it will not keep any list of buyers or owners. When a 4473 is completed under oath by a person who is a prohibited person they are committing another crime. Under obama and clinton these people lying on a 4473 were rarely arrested. teh NICS improvement should mean that when criminals try to buy a gun that will become involved in a crime that will be “bad news” for the honest gun user, if this change becomes law criminals such as the Texas killer and te Las Vegas killer will be… Read more »
This bill fails in many respects to ensure that we have been given the right to protect ourselves and our family as enumerated in the 2nd Amendment. Rather than reciprocity, the bill should confirm once and for all that law abiding Americans have the right to carry nationally without any geographical restrictions. This bill does not solve the issue of carrying a semi-auto pistol from Vermont to Connecticut or through New York, if the CCL holder’s EDC has for instance a threaded barrel, which is illegal in those states. That aside, the bill could be a red herring if passed… Read more »
If you read HR 38 you will see that a gun that is legal, including the magazine and ammo is legal to carry. Your 18 shot Ruger will be legal for a non-resident to carry in California, Maryland, New Jersey or New York.
Threaded barrels are not an issue.
What happened to the “Constitutional carry” law?? Oh that’s right, there is no control or record with that.
just saying,
Grampa 38
One of the problems with congress is they don’t have the courage to vote on clean single item bills, they always want to have attachments or riders, that way they can tell the folks back home that they had to vote on that bad bill because it was attached to the good bill and that was the only way to get it through. We have congress people who have burdened the country with millions of dollars worth of debt with the pork they attach to bills that the people want passed and they call it a rider. Drain the swamp… Read more »
@MB, Hold your nose, register as a Repub, so that you can vote in the primary, and flood the primaries. Vote against the Party’s selected favorite. Register every family member of voting age, and drag them down to the polls.
First, I think that the VCDL has made the right call. CCW reciprocity is a huge issue for the entire country. We need to pull out all the stops to get it passed.
Second, I believe that, in principle, we should support measures to ensure an accurate NICS database. I understand the concerns that many have about people becoming prohibited persons without due process of law. That is a separate issue that is likely best handled through legal action – or another bill. As for those who have been accorded due process, these people should be in the database.
So you’re willing to accept a secret database in the “Fix NICS” Bill because YOU want a Reciprocity Bill at all costs? You do realize that “…best handled through legal action…” means years of court battles while those on the secret lists are denied their Rights? Wonder how you’d feel if you’re one of the ones who shows up on that list and is denied the right to buy a gun, can’t find out why and can’t find out how to appeal or get off the list? You may well get the chance to find out how that feels.
The short answer is yes. Reciprocity is a big win for CC in all states. They already have a database and getting rid of it is not going to happen in this legislature. Should it go away. Absolutely. So lets agree this bill is 2 steps forward and one step backwards.
In addition to the fact that we have already had years of processes and procedures just to get to this point. The National Reciprocity Bill is a complex single item bill that needs to and should remain as one single item bill for vote without any other considerations to muddy the waters. Otherwise, our high minded and ethical politicians will have an excuse to not support the bill. The same reasoning goes along the same lines of refining the NICS Bill. Reworking complex databases such this, is no easy fix, and extremely expensive. Every state and federal system will be… Read more »
Vanns…
Rev used the term “accurate” (which I, too, desperately want), and he made no reference to accepting anything “at all costs.” Accurate means that both the people who belong ARE on the list, and those who do not belong ARE NOT on the list. I have no problem with any legislative measure that gets closer to that goal… why would you?
@JoeU, Well, just the fact that input to “the list” will be by so many bureaucrats from so many different agencies, and maintained by such high quality employees make accuracy an iffy proposition.
I certainly have no illusions that accuracy will be easily obtained – or maintained over time. And you are quite correct about the unlikelihood of achieving a good system if it is entrusted to bureaucrats. But if an accurate system is at all possible, we should work toward it. If the system ultimately ensures that 1) citizens’ rights are absolutely protected [to the point that honest law-abiding people are assured of exercising the right to arms – can have all the firearms they (themselves) decide they want], 2) there is a quick and affordable way for any errors to be… Read more »
@JoeUSooner, I think the main problem with any bill the government tries to pass that could have a negative effect is that we are very sceptical of anything they do because many times it doesn’t turn out in our favor, just theirs. Remember obamacare, and excellent example of the lack of trust caused by the government.
Well, since that is impossible to achieve I guess you’ll never support it and that’s exactly the stand all gun owners should be taking. Government cannot now nor will they ever be able to guarantee your safety. Be responsible for yourself.