Norton Secures Great Victory for Gun Safety and Home Rule Today
Norton Secures Great Victory for Gun Safety and Home Rule Today
October 13, 2011
Washington, DC—The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced today that Representative Louie Gohmert's (R-TX) amendment to allow people with concealed carry permits issued by states to carry concealed guns in the District of Columbia failed in the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 3-24. The amendment was offered to the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011 (H.R. 822), which would allow people with concealed carry permits to carry concealed guns in any jurisdiction that allows concealed carry, but not in those jurisdictions that prohibit concealed carry. However, the Gohmert amendment would have created a unique exception as to the District of Columbia to allow people with state-issued permits to carry concealed guns here, even though D.C. bans carrying concealed guns.
"The amendment took disrespect of the District to a new low, because the underlying bill expressly protects the rights of jurisdictions that prohibit concealed carry," Norton said. "We thought we had a chance to defeat the amendment, but we were pleasantly surprised that it was defeated by such a large margin. This vote reminds D.C. that we must always fight back against attacks on home rule, no matter the likelihood of success." The Congresswoman said that the amendment was particularly dangerous because it would have allowed people with concealed carry permits from across the country to carry their guns in the nation's capital, posing a threat to the safety not only of D.C. residents, but also to homeland security and the federal officials and foreign dignitaries who live and work here.
Despite today's success, Norton cautioned residents that Republicans will continue to attack D.C.'s gun laws. Some Republicans on the committee indicated that while they might agree with the substance of the amendment, it was being offered to the wrong vehicle. The pending gun-lobby-backed D.C. gun bill (H.R. 645), which would, among other things, permit concealed carry in D.C., has 166 cosponsors. "Continued vigilance will be key," Norton said. "We have no illusions that the gun lobby will give up on their efforts to overturn D.C.'s gun laws. They persist even though two federal courts have upheld the constitutionality of D.C.'s revised gun laws."