Representative Mike Kelly Issues Statement on Passage of the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011

Representative Mike Kelly Issues Statement on Passage of the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011

Washington, D.C. —Representative Mike Kelly (PA-03) issued the following statementon his vote tonight in support of H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, which passed the House by a vote of 272 to 154:

“H.R. 822 ensures that law-abiding gun owners with valid state-issued concealed firearm permits or licenses have the freedom to carry a concealed firearm in any other state that also allows concealed carry. This bill promotes the Second Amendment rights of Americans, without affecting state laws governing how firearms are carried or used within the various states.

“This is commonsense legislation that simply extends reciprocity agreements that already exist among a majority of states. Forty-nine states allow concealed carry permits, and 40 of these extend some degree of reciprocity to permit holders from other states.  Extending this nationwide will work similarly to the way one state recognizes the driver’s license from another state, while requiring compliance with all laws and regulations governing the carrying and use of a concealed firearm within that state.”

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