Quigley Statement on Credit Card Reform, Guns in National Parks

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL) issued the following statement as the Credit CARD Act of 2009 takes effect, along with an amendment that now permits taking firearms into national parks as long as they are allowed by state law:

"It is ironic to me that as landmark reforms to the credit card industry to protect Americans and increase transparency go into effect today, so does an amendment to the same bill allowing guns in our national parks.

The content of the amendment is as troubling to me as the process by which it was included in the bill. We're talking about otherwise-good legislation that champions consumer protection and transparency of all things being used as a vehicle for a completely unrelated provision, free of public scrutiny.

National parks from Yosemite to the Everglades are less safe today for both the treasures they protect and the people who visit them. With the ban on concealed and loaded weapons effectively lifted and firearms now subject to more lax state laws, the result will be more guns in highly visited areas, which poses an increased safety risk while also jeopardizing the spirit of preservation of our national parks.

My priorities remain keeping guns out of places where they have the potential to do more harm than good, places such as highly-populated urban areas like Chicago and our natural sanctuaries. This amendment represents another instance of turning our backs on a middle-ground path that allows for sport shooting, but recognizes the dangers of firearms in other situations.

Guns have no place in our parks, and this amendment had no place in this bill."

Previous regulations stated that guns must simply be stored and unloaded while in national parks.

Quigley voted for the Credit CARD Act (H.R. 627) but against the amendment mentioned above.

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