[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 176 (Thursday, November 17, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2077]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            NATIONAL RIGHT-TO-CARRY RECIPROCITY ACT OF 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. ROBERT HURT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 16, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 822) to 
     amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a national 
     standard in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may 
     carry concealed firearms in the State.

  Mr. HURT. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of H.R. 822, the 
National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act offered by my colleagues, 
Representatives Stearns and Shuler. I want to thank them for their 
leadership on this legislation, which protects the basic second 
amendment freedoms that are so important to central and southside 
Virginians.
  This bipartisan bill would allow valid state-issued concealed firearm 
carry permits to be honored by any state or U.S. territory that allows 
concealed carry, requiring that each state recognize another's carry 
permits, just as they recognize each other's drivers' licenses.
  Currently, 49 of 50 states, including the Commonwealth of Virginia, 
have laws permitting concealed carry in some fashion. Additionally, 
over half of those states--25 of those 49--already honor the Virginia 
concealed carry permit.
  This legislation, which has overwhelming support in the House--from 
representatives from 48 states and both sides of the aisle--would allow 
central and southside Virginians to utilize their carry permits in all 
of the 49 states that allow concealed carry.
  The constitutional right to keep and bear arms and the ability to 
defend one's self are fundamental liberties which were protected by our 
founding fathers. H.R. 822 recognizes that these basic liberties should 
not be constrained by borders or boundaries, and does so without 
hindering states' authority to set criteria for their own residents, 
and without affecting state laws that regulate how concealed firearms 
are carried.
  I am proud to cosponsor this legislation as I continue to work to 
protect our second amendment freedoms for those in Virginia's 5th 
District and across the country, and I urge my colleagues to join with 
me in supporting passage of this bill.

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