AG Jeff Landry Calls on U.S. House and Senate to Back
Constitutional Right of Self-Defense
BATON ROUGE, LA – Continuing his efforts to support Louisiana
residents’ constitutional rights, Attorney General Jeff Landry joined 23 other
state attorneys general in urging Congress to enact national concealed-carry
reciprocity legislation.
“The citizen interest in self-defense, supported and protected by
the Second Amendment, is called into serious question by such blanket refusals
to permit carrying firearms in self-defense outside the home or to allow
non-resident visitors to carry concealed weapons,” said General Landry.
“Because some States refuse to give the Second Amendment its full import,
Congress should enact concealed-carry reciprocity legislation, to help
implement and enforce the constitutional right to self-defense for millions of
law-abiding Americans across the country.”
In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of
the House Paul Ryan, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, and House Minority
Leader Nancy Pelosi – General Landry and his colleagues called for support of
the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 (S. 446) and the
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 (H.R. 38).
The proposed legislation would allow law-abiding citizens to carry
concealed weapons in states where they do not reside, which some state laws do
not allow. The attorneys general argue that, beyond being a basic
constitutional right, states that do not allow non-residents to carry concealed
weapons leave these citizens in danger and with no real option for self-defense
in instances of gun violence.
“These bills aim to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to
carry a concealed handgun,” added General Landry. “They do not allow for
carrying firearms by felons, those involuntarily committed to mental health
facilities, and other persons prohibited by federal law from possessing or
receiving firearms. And these bills would not prevent States from allowing
governmental and private entities to preclude concealed carry on their own
property.”
Joining General Landry in this petition to Congress are the
attorneys general from Missouri, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,
Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia,
Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
“We share a strong interest in the protection of our citizens’
constitutional rights, and we are committed to supporting federal and state
policies that preserve these rights,” concluded General Landry. “I hope
Congress swiftly debates and passes these bills that will eliminate significant
obstacles to the exercise of the right to keep and bear arms for millions of
Americans throughout our State and Nation.”
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