Today, Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) joined his House colleagues to pass the bipartisan H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act by a vote of 231-198 with six democrats supporting. This legislation also includes language from H.R. 4477, Fix NICS Act, that will strengthen NICS to protect public safety as well as require a study on bump stocks.

This bill allows law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed firearm only if they are not federally prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm, are carrying a valid government-issued photo ID, and are lawfully licensed or otherwise entitled to carry a concealed handgun.

“Law-abiding citizens should not have to navigate a complex legal web when travelling across state lines,” said Rep. Bacon. “This patchwork has led to the arrest of otherwise law-abiding citizens.”

The bill also allows an individual with a permit to concealed carry in another state, but requires individuals to follow the laws of that state. The new law does not arm criminals because nothing in the bill allows someone convicted of a crime to purchase or possess a firearm, let alone carry one in a concealed fashion.

“The law simply guarantees that the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens does not end when crossing state lines,” added Rep. Bacon.

Language from the Fix NICS Act will strengthen existing law and protect public safety. It ensures that federal and state authorities comply by reporting criminal history records to NICS. Federal agencies that fail to report relevant criminal records to the FBI will be penalized.

“Last month’s shooting in Sutherland Springs, TX highlights how the current law was not adhered to,” said Rep. Bacon. “The shooter was banned from purchasing firearms and ammunition due to a conviction of domestic violence during a court-martial while serving in the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force failed to follow the current law and record the conviction in the NICS database, and this legislation addresses that.”

The legislation also orders the Attorney General to issue a study on bump stocks by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The Bureau must report the number of times a bump stock is used in the commission of a crime, what type of firearms the bump stocks are used with, as well as review of current criminal code penalties regarding the use of bump stocks, and if the use of those attachments should trigger an increased penalty when used to commit a crime.

“These changes will not only guarantee that a law-abiding citizen’s Second Amendment rights are intact across the country, but it will increase public safety as studies show that as carry permits have risen to over 12 million, the nation’s violent crime rate has decreased 51 percent to a 43-year low,” said Rep. Bacon.