Rutherford applauds advance of measures to bear arms

In support of the principle that constitutional rights should not stop at state lines, Republican US Congressman John Rutherford, 4th District of Florida, informed local Historic City News reporters that the House Judiciary Committee advanced the Fix NICS Act and the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (HR 38) to the full House for consideration.

The Fix NICS Act would strengthen gun background checks by requiring federal agencies and states to have plans ensuring they properly update the federal NICS database. It also reauthorizes and improves important law enforcement programs to help state governments share relevant criminal record information with NICS.

“We need Congress to pass the Fix NICS Act to strengthen criminal history reporting into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to keep guns out of the hands of bad people,” Congressman Rutherford said. “And, we need Congress to pass the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act to ensure that good, law-abiding citizens can retain their constitutional right to bear arms and legally conceal carry across state lines.”

The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would allow citizens with state concealed carry permits to carry concealed in any other state.  All states would be required to recognize the concealed carry permits of residents from other states, as is done with driver licenses.  Concealed carry permit holders would be required to follow the concealed carry laws of the state, county and municipality in which they are present.

Congressman Rutherford offered an amendment to the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act to ensure that the proposed legislation does not prevent a law enforcement officer with reasonable suspicion from investigating a person with a concealed carry permit.

Calling them two commonsense measures aimed at preventing violence, Congressman Rutherford said, “We want good people carrying guns.”

“In my years in law enforcement, I have seen good, law-abiding citizens use legal firearms to stop dangerous people from harming themselves, their families, their neighbors, and other innocent lives,” the former Jacksonville sheriff told local reporters.

Rutherford believes that law-abiding citizens, who are authorized to carry firearms, should have the ability to stop a violent incident before law enforcement can intervene.

To read more about the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act

To read more about the Fix NICS Act