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Quigley Statement on Passage of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act

December 6, 2017

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05),who serves as a Member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, released the following statement after Republicans in the House passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38) to force states with strong concealed carry laws to honor concealed carry permits from states with weaker laws.

"Legislation like this is beyond tone-deaf; it is dangerous and deplorable," said Rep. Quigley. "Instead of working to expand universal background checks or crack down on firearm trafficking, House Republicans have decided to undermine the states with strong, common-sense gun laws that protect and promote public safety. In wake of the numerous tragedies we have faced recently as a result of gun violence, we should be strengthening our gun laws—not weakening them. Unfortunately, this vote represents another opportunity for House Republicans to appease the NRA, rather than protect the American people we were elected to represent."

The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would overrides state concealed carry laws without setting a national standard, leaving the states with the weakest gun laws to have the most influence. This means that states with stricter laws on carrying a gun in public would be forced to allow residents from states that do not require a permit to carry a concealed gun to be able to travel within its borders, despite it being against that state's law. In addition, the bill endangers public safety through mandating where people can carry guns, increasing the possibility of guns in places like bars, schools, places of worship, and athletic events. While the NRA has vigorously pushed for this bill's passage, it has been opposed by numerous law enforcement and public safety organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, American Federation of Teachers, Everytown for Gun Safety, Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence, and National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Quigley has called on Congress to stand up to the gun lobby in America. Last week, he introduced bipartisan legislation to establish an alert system that would alert state and local law enforcement when criminals break the law attempting to acquire a gun. Rep. Quigley has also co-authored a bipartisan background check bill that expands the existing background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales and introduced legislation requiring the Attorney General to conduct a study and provide a report to Congress on possible links between mass shooters and a history of domestic violence.

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