[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 195 (Thursday, November 30, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9522-H9523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              GUN VIOLENCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Kelly) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise yet again because 
Americans are dying and this House is doing nothing. Correction, we 
aren't doing nothing. House Republicans are planning to make the 
situation worse.
  Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee considered the so-called 
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which should be called the ``Exporting 
Gun Violence Across State Line Act.''
  In addition to threatening the safety of our communities, this bill, 
H.R. 38, is not only a threat to innocent citizens, but a direct threat 
to the brave men and women who protect and serve our communities.
  So far this year, 42 law enforcement officers have been shot and 
killed in the United States.
  I come from a law enforcement family. I have police officers--uncles, 
cousins, and nephews--serving in New York City and Chicago. I know the 
fear that law enforcement families feel, the constant worry that they 
may not come home, that you might get that call in the middle of the 
night or a knock on the door from the police chaplain.
  If this House passes this dangerous bill, more law enforcement 
families will get these calls and get these late-night visits that no 
family should ever get.
  H.R. 38 is opposed by many law enforcement organizations, including 
the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police 
Foundation, the Police Executive Research Forum, Major Cities Chiefs 
Association, the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, 
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, National 
Associations of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the International 
Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, and many others.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of opposition from the 
National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence.

      National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence


 STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP TO PREVENT GUN 
VIOLENCE ON THE CONCEALED CARRY RECIPROCITY ACT OF 2017--S. 446 & H.R. 
                                   38

       Washington, DC.--The National Law Enforcement Partnership 
     to Prevent Gun Violence urges members of Congress to oppose 
     both the House and Senate versions of ``Concealed Carry 
     Reciprocity''--The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 
     (HR. 38), sponsored by Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC), 
     and The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 
     2017 (S. 446), sponsored by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), 
     respectively.
       The National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun 
     Violence (the Partnership) includes nine national law 
     enforcement organizations dedicated to serving the Nation's 
     more than 900,000 sworn and civilian law enforcement 
     officers, executives, and professional staff.
       The Partnership has opposed previous legislative attempts 
     to mandate concealed carry reciprocity nationwide because 
     such schemes severely undermine successful, well established 
     state laws governing carrying concealed firearms.
       H.R. 38 and S. 446 would require each state--even those 
     with strong permitting standards and stringent training 
     requirements--to allow anyone to carry a concealed firearm so 
     long as the person's own home state allows it. These 
     misguided bills would preempt local and state perspectives on 
     what's best for communities by forcing states to accept 
     weaker concealed carry standards of other states and 
     eliminates every state's ability to determine who may 
     exercise the enormous responsibility of carrying a firearm, 
     concealed or otherwise.
       Training is a vitally important aspect of carrying a 
     concealed firearm. Law enforcement officers are extensively 
     trained to understand responsible firearm use, including 
     making split-second decisions about when deadly force is 
     appropriate; they also attend periodic in-service training 
     and regularly requalify with their service weapons, most at 
     least semi-annually. According to the Bureau of Justice 
     Statistics, states require an average 92 hours of firearms 
     skills and judgment training before certifying someone to 
     carry a gun as a police officer. While a majority of states 
     require a minimum number of hours of training to be eligible 
     for civilian concealed firearm permits, several states do not 
     require any training at all to carry a firearm in public. No 
     state should be forced to accept a person carrying a 
     concealed firearm who has not received gun safety training.
       In addition, during public contacts, police officers will 
     face the daunting task of verifying the validity of different 
     carry permits from the states that issue them. Twelve states 
     require no permit whatsoever to carry a concealed gun, taking 
     away an officer's ability to determine if a person is 
     carrying legally. Reciprocity would leave law enforcement 
     helpless to keep guns out of the wrong hands when a person 
     claims ``constitutional carry'' authority. This obvious step 
     in the wrong direction would sow chaos and uncertainty, 
     making a cop's job harder and citizens less safe. Under the 
     House bill (H.R. 38), attempting to verify a permit or 
     identification card comes with potential legal liability for 
     law enforcement, an outrageous outcome for an officer trying 
     to protect his or her community.

[[Page H9523]]

       The complete lack of consistent training standards, the 
     different standards for identifying individuals that are too 
     dangerous to carry, the uncertainty of a document's validity, 
     and the exposure of agencies and police officers to civil 
     liability create unacceptable risks to our nation's 900,000 
     police officers and the public at large. We reject the idea 
     that one state's approach to carrying a concealed firearm 
     will work across the country. States and localities should 
     maintain their rights to legislate concealed carry laws that 
     best meet the needs of their citizens.
       The National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun 
     Violence urges you to respect and defend state laws while 
     protecting and supporting our nation's police officers by 
     opposing H.R. 38 and S. 446. Thank you for your support.
       The Partnership Includes: Hispanic American Police Command 
     Officers Association (HAPCOA), International Association of 
     Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), International 
     Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Major Cities Chiefs 
     Association (MCCA), National Association of Women Law 
     Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), National Organization of 
     Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Police Executive 
     Research Forum (PERF), Police Foundation (PF).

  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the letter, in part, states that 
the bill will create unacceptable risk to our Nation's 900,000 police 
officers and the public at large.
  The Fraternal Order of Police has come out in opposition to a similar 
bill in the Senate.
  Mr. Speaker, the police are telling us that it is dangerous to them 
and the public safety at large.
  So why is the majority pushing it so hard?
  Because, once again, the majority is putting the NRA's agenda above 
the lives of Americans and our law enforcement officers. This is simply 
unacceptable.
  Why are we considering a bill that puts our officers at greater risk? 
Why should we take up legislation that we know will increase the number 
of gun deaths, including among law enforcement officers? Why would we 
make a dangerous job more dangerous just to satisfy the NRA?
  Why is it cosponsored by one of my colleagues who demanded that a 
painting be taken down for disrespecting law enforcement, but he is 
willing to cosponsor a bill that puts their lives at greater risk?
  I guess it is easier to complain about a picture than stand up to the 
NRA.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, the NRA's checks are influencing this House. 
The victims of gun violence should matter more than their dollars.
  Dollar 209, Deputy Sheriff Robert French, end of watch, August 30, 
2017;
  Dollar 210, Officer Miguel Moreno, end of watch, June 30, 2017;
  Dollar 211, Trooper Joel Davis, end of watch, July 9, 2017;
  Dollar 212, Agent Roberto Medina-Mariani, end of watch, September 11, 
2017;
  Dollar 213, Captain Bryon K. Dickson, II, end of watch, September 12, 
2014;
  Dollar 214, Special Agent Michael T. Walter, end of watch, May 27, 
2017;
  Dollar 215, Corporal Stephen J. Ballard, end of watch, April 26, 
2017;
  Dollar 216, Officer Miosotis Familia, end of watch, July 5, 2017;
  Dollar 217, Lieutenant Kevin Mainhart, end of watch, May 11, 2017;
  Dollar 218, Lieutenant Patrick Weatherford, end of watch, June 12, 
2017;
  Dollar 219, Sergeant Richard ``Sam'' Howard, end of watch, August 19, 
2017.

                              {time}  1030

  Dollar 220, Deputy Sheriff Mason Moore, end of watch, May 16, 2017;
  Dollar 221, Chief Steven Eric DiSario, end of watch, May 12, 2017;
  Dollar 222, Master Sergeant Debra Clayton, end of watch, January 9, 
2017;
  Dollar 223, Deputy Sheriff William Durr, end of watch, May 27, 2017;
  Dollar 224, Officer Eric G. Kelly, end of watch, April 4, 2009;
  Dollar 225, Officer Gary Michael, end of watch, August 6, 2017;
  Dollar 226, Corrections Officer Curtis Billue, end of watch, June 13, 
2017;
  Dollar 227, Agent Benjamin De los Santos-Barbosa, end of watch, April 
21, 2017.
  Mr. Speaker, I will jump to dollar 234, Trooper Damon Allen, whom we 
just heard about, end of watch, November 23, 2017.
  We cannot let this bill pass. If we pass H.R. 38, that number will, 
tragically, grow.
  Dollar 228, Officer Sean Clark, end of watch, March 31, 2007;
  Dollar 229, Deputy Sheriff David Wade, end of watch, April 18, 2017;
  Dollar 230, Lieutenant Aaron Allan, end of watch, July 27, 2017;
  Dollar 231, Assistant Chief Deputy Clinton Greenwood, end of watch, 
April 3, 2017;
  Dollar 232, Deputy Sheriff Mark Burbridge, end of watch, May 1, 2017;
  Dollar 233, Officer Justin Terney, end of watch, March 27, 2017;
  Dollar 235, Officer Alyn Beck, end of watch, June 8, 2014;
  Dollar 236, Detective Sean Suiter, end of watch, November 16, 2017;
  Dollar 237, Officer Justice Leo, end of watch, October 21, 2017;
  Dollar 238, Officer Marcus McNeil, end of watch, October 13, 2017;
  Dollar 239, Officer Stephen Mayhle, end of watch, April 4, 2009;
  Dollar 240, Officer Floyd East, Jr., end of watch, October 9, 2017;
  Dollar 241, Corporal Michael Paul Middlebrook, end of watch, October 
1, 2017;
  Dollar 242, Detective Kristen Hearne, end of watch, September 29, 
2017;
  Dollar 243, Officer Igor Soldo, end of watch, June 8, 2014;
  Dollar 244, Officer Matthew Baxter, end of watch, August 18, 2017;
  Dollar 245, Officer Paul Sciullo, end of watch, April 4, 2009;
  Dollar 246, Officer Deriek W. Crouse, end of watch, December 8, 2011;
  Dollar 247, Deputy Sheriff Dwight Darwin Maness, end of watch, 
September 14, 2015;
  Dollar 248, Officer Jeff Shelton, end of watch, March 31, 2007;
  Dollar 249, Officer Thor Odin Soderberg, end of watch, July 7, 2010;
  Dollar 250, Officer Brian David Shaw, end of watch, November 17, 
2017.
  Every year, more and more officers die from guns in the line of duty.

                          ____________________