The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act has ignited a fierce battle in Congress, drawing sharp opposition from gun control organizations who warn that the legislation threatens public safety, while supporters argue it protects the rights of lawful gun owners.
The legislation would require all states to recognize concealed carry permits issued by other states, allowing permit holders to carry concealed weapons across state lines regardless of local regulations. Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), the bill’s sponsor, champions the measure as necessary protection for gun owners. Hudson argues “This is just simple, common sense legislation that says if you’re a law abiding citizen we’re not going to turn you into a criminal just for crossing an invisible state line.”
The bill has attracted substantial Republican support, with 189 House co-sponsors as of November 2025. The House Judiciary Committee advanced the measure along party lines in March, voting 18 to 9, bringing it closer to a potential floor vote.
Gun rights organizations have rallied behind the proposal with enthusiasm. Gun Owners of America has strongly backed the legislation, noting that President Trump has publicly called on Congress to pass it. The group characterizes the bill as a common sense solution that respects the rights of lawful gun owners while promoting public safety.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry trade association, has welcomed the legislation. Senior Vice President Lawrence Keane stated “This legislation eliminates the confusing patchwork of laws surrounding concealed carry permits that vary from state to state, particularly with regard to states where laws make unwitting criminals out of legal permit holders for a simple mistake of a wrong traffic turn.”
However, the proposal faces fierce resistance from gun control advocates and law enforcement leaders. Giffords, the prominent gun violence prevention organization, has emerged as one of the most vocal opponents, characterizing the bill as a threat to communities nationwide.
The organization warned “Extremists in Congress are pushing for a concealed carry mandate, which would allow people to carry hidden guns nationwide regardless of state laws. Now that the government has reopened, they can vote on this dangerous bill any day. They must vote NO.”
Extremists in Congress are pushing for a concealed carry mandate, which would allow people to carry hidden guns nationwide—regardless of state laws.
Now that the government has reopened, they can vote on this dangerous bill any day. They must vote NO.https://t.co/zx5b8q5Nk2
— GIFFORDS (@GIFFORDS_org) November 13, 2025
Giffords has emphasized that law enforcement leaders share their concerns, stating, “Law enforcement leaders across the nation agree. A national concealed carry mandate is dangerous. We should not be forced to accept reciprocity with places where any buffoon who has a pulse gets to carry a gun.”
Law enforcement leaders across the nation agree: A national concealed carry mandate is dangerous.
“We should not be forced to accept reciprocity with places where any buffoon who has a pulse gets to carry a gun.”
— GIFFORDS (@GIFFORDS_org) November 14, 2025
According to Giffords analysis, the legislation would allow dangerous, unqualified individuals to carry hidden, loaded guns across state lines without meeting basic safety standards. The organization contends the bill would override carefully crafted state laws designed to protect communities, forcing states with rigorous permitting requirements to accept permits from states with minimal or nonexistent standards.
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the organization’s namesake and a survivor of gun violence, stated in the aftermath of the Las Vegas mass shooting “In the shadow of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, our leaders in Congress should be focused on taking action to prevent future acts of gun violence, not working to move forward bills that weaken gun safety laws and make it more difficult for law enforcement officers to keep our communities safe.”
The law enforcement community has previously opposed the legislation. In April 2018, the International Association of Chiefs of Police released a letter signed by 473 agencies from 39 states opposing the measure. IACP leader Louis M. Dekmar stated, “I strongly oppose the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act because it endangers the public and law enforcement. This legislation would override state laws that determine who is qualified to carry a concealed firearm.” Law enforcement opposition to such measures has continued in the present.
On November 17, 2025, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the IACP jointly released a formal “call to action” urging Congress to reject HR 38. The FOP and IACP pointed to these provisions as the basis for their objections to HR 38: “The bill’s creation of personal liability for officers, combined with its erosion of state and local authorities to regulate firearms and conduct reasonable investigations of armed suspects, threatens officer safety and exposes agencies and officers to costly litigation.”
The battle over HR 38 will test whether Congress stands with millions of law-abiding gun owners seeking to exercise their Second Amendment rights nationwide or defers to critics who want to maintain the gun control status quo.
Tips For Democrats: To Attract Male Voters, Stop Eroding Their Human Rights
About José Niño
José Niño is a freelance writer based in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can contact him via Facebook and X/Twitter. Subscribe to his Substack newsletter by visiting “Jose Nino Unfiltered” on Substack.com.
Play the game like the demonrats do. Write the bill where it would give constitutional concealed carry and reciprocity for concealed carry at the same time. Then when the left argues the constitutional carry you can say, “ok, we will compromise and accept reciprocity”. Play the game like they do. Then you can say if they fight all of it that the dems won’t even compromise and that is why the USA cannot improve itself. Then the republicans are giving up something just like the rats do and call it a win because they only lost an idea. Just like… Read more »
My district’s Representative (Cliff Bentz) is the state’s only (R) in Washington, and is already a co-sponsor of H.R.38. I wrote to him, thanking him for his support. Of our state’s other five districts, only one Representative took comments from outside her district. I sent Please join Rep Cliff Bentz as a co-sponsor, and support H. R. 38 the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025, so Oregonians will be able to defend ourselves when traveling outside our state. I wrote to both our Senators: Please join as a co-sponsor, and support S.65 the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025,… Read more »
They let “buffoons” have a drivers license and purchase multi-ton vehicles with absolute abandon. Those idiots get behind the wheel everyday and rarely face restriction. Heck, even illegal buffoons are given CDLs to sow mayhem across multiple states without restriction.
If it were truly a matter of safety, all forms of hazard would be treated identically with the same restrictions and patchworks of laws. But gun control is soley political control. It has nothing to do with safety.
Personally, I would like to see the written legal requirements of any state that issues a concealed carry permit to “…any buffoon who has a pulse…”.
What Giffords fails to acknowledge is that many states already have reciprocation.
No, she was a survivor of human violence.
Amazing how those buffoons with a pulse and a gun are making communities safer everywhere they go!
The only reason why demorats don’t want this is because it will stop them from up charging individuals from their rights. I had to spend around $400 dollars just to get my home state permit, and then I had to spend another $25 dollars to get a permit from the state to the north to carry there, and then I am on the hook to spend another 400 for the initial permit and 300 every 3 years to renew the other out of state permit of the state to my south to carry there.This is more of a money grab… Read more »
“Law enforcement leaders across the nation agree. A national concealed carry mandate is dangerous. We should not be forced to accept reciprocity with places where any buffoon who has a pulse gets to carry a gun.” The way I see it is if LE “leaders across the nation” think it’s a bad idea that’s proof enough for me that it’s a good idea. The “standing army” our Founding Fathers warned us about already has a monopoly of violence protected by a corrupt judiciary. The out-gun is on the streets, wage war on law-abiding citizens, & operate with impunity daily because… Read more »
>The law enforcement community<
Whoever that is, whichever ones they are, whatever badge they wear – I don’t think they like us. What a shame.
What if we just told them, in force, in the same way they told us by openly writing to our legislators, by us wearing our weapons, in front of them, in such a way that they would be hesitant to object, that we don’t like them either?
Would my equal standing be recognized by those who blindly support the thin blue line?
HLB
Keep in mind that “Law enforcement leaders” (like Chiefs of Police) are POLITICAL POSITIONS…as far too often are union leaders.
They are often also very highly paid; $112,000 on average, and in a large city $150,000 isn’t unheard of.
The AVERAGE pay for a Chief of Police in California per ziprecruiter is $132,000/year (which means fully half are paid more than that)