With all the talk of gun control, you might have missed an absolutely HUGE development. The Trump administration just opened the door for the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act to pass.
How? By supporting the Fix NICS bill. Here, I'll explain.
When the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act passed the House late last year, Establishment Republicans decided to sneak in an amendment to overhaul the FBI's background check database. At the time, many Conservatives cried foul and accused them of muddying the waters.
But that one amendment could now provide the path for nationwide reciprocity to pass.
You see, just yesterday, the White House announced that it was supporting an effort in Congress to fix the background check system and make sure that all prohibited person records are added to it.
The media had a field day, accusing Pres. Trump of backtracking on his pro-gun promises. But you see, the measure he is now supporting already passed one chamber of Congress. It was attached to the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act!
This is our opening. This is our chance to give law-abiding Americans the power to defend themselves nationwide!
This is a perfectly fine tradeoff. The background check fix would make sure that when someone commits a crime or is deemed mentally incompetent, their records would immediately be added to the FBI's background check system. The records only deal with people who are already prohibited from owning firearms. They would not take guns away from anyone who isn't already prohibited from owning them. The bill also would not expand the background check system beyond gun store sales.
And in return, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would allow licensed and trained individuals to exercise their right to bear arms in all 50 states (not just their home state).
But that isn't what a lot of these spineless Republicans want to do. Instead of passing an actual compromise, they are now pushing the Fix NICS bill as a standalone. Texas Senator John Cornyn authored the Senate's reciprocity bill. He is also working on a bill to fix the FBI's background check system (called Fix NICS). But instead of combining them like the House did, he is abandoning his bill to restore the right to carry.
You see, when the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act seemed poised to pass, they attached the background check amendment to help it get passed. But now that they think they can implement it on its own, they're hanging American gun owners out to dry.
McConnell has left the reciprocity bill to collect dust on his desk for a whole year. Now that he has a chance to actually pass it, he's only focusing on the gun control aspects of the legislation.
Our mission is two-fold: Force the House of Representatives to hold the line and NOT pass another version of the Fix NICS bill and pressure the Senate into holding a floor vote on the compromise legislation.
Compromise can be a dirty word in DC, but this is a good deal for gun owners. The background check portion would only affect people who are already prohibited from owning guns. It would just make sure that those records are added to the FBI's system, like in the case of the Texas church shooter. And in return, licensed Americans would be allowed to carry firearms for self-defense in all 50 states.
President Trump has promised to sign the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act into law when it reaches his desk. By offering to do the same with the Fix NICS bill, he has opened the door for this to happen.
We have a chance -- right now -- to restore the right to bear arms for all law-abiding Americans, including those living behind the gun control iron curtain in states like New York and California. The legislation has already passed the House of Representatives, but now, Establishment Republicans want to change the bill.
Don't let this happen!
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