From USCCA
On behalf of its over 500,000 members nationwide, the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) today commended U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-8) for introducing H.R. 38, The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2021, on the first day of the 117th Congress. This important bill aims to eliminate the confusion caused by a patchwork of state-by-state laws to ensure that concealed carry permits issued in one home state would be considered valid in other states, similar to a drivers’ license.
“Congress has an obligation to help responsible, law-abiding Americans keep their loved ones safe. With almost 20 million concealed carry permit holders nationwide and five million new gun owners in 2020 alone, national concealed carry reciprocity legislation is more important than ever,” said Tim Schmidt, President and Founder of the USCCA. “The current patchwork of state and local laws is overly complex for even the most conscientious concealed carry permit holders. It puts law-abiding citizens at risk of being charged with a crime or worse, being left in a situation where they cannot defend themselves or their families.”
“Our Second Amendment rights do not disappear when we cross state lines, and H.R. 38 guarantees that,” Rep. Hudson said today. “The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2021 is a common-sense solution to provide law-abiding citizens the right to conceal carry and travel freely between states without worrying about conflicting state codes or onerous civil suits. I am especially proud to have such widespread and bipartisan support for this measure and will work with my colleagues to get this legislation over the finish line.”
“The USCCA thanks Congressman Hudson for his continued leadership in supporting those who have chosen the awesome responsibility of being their family’s first line of defense. Whether it’s a family visiting relatives across state lines, a business owner traveling for work, or a single mother who lives in a community bordering a neighboring state, Americans should have the right to protect themselves and their families at all times. It is beyond time that Congress acts to ensure our laws provide common-sense protections for these responsible Americans,” Schmidt concluded.
USCCA’s President and Founder Tim Schmidt has appeared on leading national shows like 60 Minutes and C-Span’s Washington Journal to discuss the importance of national reciprocity. He has also authored op-eds in The Hill, Fox Business and other top publications in support of concealed carry permit holders. The legislation was previously passed by the House in a bipartisan vote in 2017 but was not acted on in the Senate.
The U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) – headquartered in West Bend, WI – is the largest and fastest-growing association whose sole focus is providing self-defense education and training to responsible American gun owners. For more information on how to get self-defense education and training offered through the USCCA, visit the website here.