Right to Carry in National Parks

[JWS]

Done

[flyguy958]

Done, thanks for the link.

[mrlarry]

Smity
I posted your whole message on concealedcarryforum.com - thanks for the heads up on this!

[murf26]

I currently work for the NPS and have been a seasonal LE ranger. WASO sent out a form to NPS employees about this and wanted our input. I wrote a very lengthy narrative on the pros and sent it in and was so happy when the initial results came back that we could carry. We just have to be patient and stick to our guns!

Everyone,
Many of you already no the details so I'll summarize:
On January 9th, President Bush approved a change to the NPS (National Park System laws to allow concealed carry in national parks.
On March 29th, the Brady Commission filed for an injunction to reverse the new law on the grounds that a "proper environmental impact study had not been completed." The NRA immediately filed an appeal.
On April 2, a coalition of Republican and Democrat Senators submitted a bill to again allow concealed carry in National Parks.

It's time to weigh in. The best way I have found to do this at the federal level is through the following web site: NRA-ILA :: Action Center
You can enter your zip code and send an email to the President, your Senators and Representatives all at the same time. I was impressed with the format and how it looked. It is connected with NRA-ILA, but you do not have to be a member, and I did not see any logo on the emails themselves.

Some good questions are -- Why should you do this? Why should you care?
Here are a few key facts.

The NPS controls a total of 84.6 million acres of land.
8,505 Monuments and Statues
680 Water Treatment and Wastewater Collection Systems
5,300 Family Housing Units
505 Dams
1,804 Bridges and Tunnels
7,580 Buildings
8,500 Miles of roads and parkways
12,250 Miles of Unpaved Trails

...and that is just a partial list. For a complete list go to: U.S. National Park Service Quick Facts

This is nothing more than an underhanded dirty trick by the Brady Commission to put 3.6%, yes that's 3.6% of the entire United States off limits, in addition to making it so difficult in some areas, like Virginia, Maryland and DC, that if you do have a permit you just wouldn't be able to carry without committing a felony. If you get caught on the GW Parkway, your screwed!

If you decide to send an email (it is very quick and simple) please post when you are done. I am running this on 8 forums (and still looking for others) and I come back to each one as often as I can to report the totals. So far we have about 64 emails sent.

Feel free to borrow the following text or use your own, but keep it clear, concise and professional like the proud, responsible gun owners that we are:

I support the right to carry a handgun for self defense in our nation's parks and wild life refuges. Please reinstate this policy immediately and expand it to include national parks and wildlife refuges in all states. This is essential for law abiding citizens to safely enjoy these areas without fear. Thank you.

Thanks for your help!

Smity

[Red Hat]

Done a few days ago.

[Bohemian]

Gun Owners of America

May 12, 2009

Coburn amendment passes in the Senate!
Battle over gun ban repeal likely to continue in conference

Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) today offered an amendment to repeal a long-standing gun ban on National Park Service (NPS) and National Wildlife Refuge System land. The amendment passed
overwhelmingly by a vote of 67-29


.

NPS and Wildlife Refuge land is treated differently with regard to gun rights than other federally controlled land. For instance, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) allows state and local laws to govern firearms possession. However, carrying firearms on NPS land and Wildlife Refuges is prohibited, even if the state in which the land is located allows carrying firearms. The only way to legally possess a firearm anywhere on National Park land is by having it unloaded and inaccessible, such as locked up in your trunk.
This has created a patchwork of conflicting regulations. For instance, a Virginia resident who is licensed to carry a concealed firearm can legally carry on the Commonwealth’s roadways, but it is illegal to carry on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, a major thoroughfare in Virginia under the jurisdiction of the NPS
In the waning days of his administration, President Bush partially reversed the ban, but even that half-way measure has been single-handedly negated by an activist judge in Washington, D.C. The Department of Interior has decided not to appeal that ruling, thus leaving the gun ban in place.
The Coburn amendment will treat NPS land and Wildlife Refuges in the same manner as BLM land. The amendment will in no way change or override state, local or federal law, but will simply allow these laws -- enacted by legislation, not bureaucrats or judges -- to govern firearms possession.
“Judges and unelected bureaucrats have for far too long made the Second Amendment null and void on these lands. Gun Owners of America applauds Sen. Coburn’s effort to right this wrong,” said Larry Pratt, Executive Director of Gun Owners of America.
The amendment was attached to a bill, H.R. 627, regulating the credit card industry. The House passed its own version of the bill on April 30 by a vote of 357-70.
The House bill does not contain the Coburn language, and is substantially different in other respects. A House and Senate conference committee is expected to iron out the differences between the two bills. President Obama said he wants to sign a bill before Memorial Day.
“GOA will maintain pressure on the conference committee to keep the Coburn amendment in the final bill,” Pratt said.

[Smity]

This is unbelievable!

What a stroke of terrific luck! We are doing this at exactly the right time.

This still has to pass in the House and be signed by the President! This is happening right now! Get everyone you can to email the President and your Congressmen using NRA-ILA :: Action Center

Bohemian -- thanks for the info - U DA MAN!

Smity

[Red Hat]

Got this on my Google alert. Sounds good but time will tell!

Tulsa World: U.S. Senate approves amendment dealing with guns in national parks

U.S. Senate approves amendment dealing with guns in national parks

U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.
By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
Published: 5/12/2009 7:09 PM
Last Modified: 5/12/2009 7:14 PM

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate approved an amendment Tuesday by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., to allow visitors to carry guns into national parks located in states that do not bar such activity.

By a vote of 67 to 29, the amendment was attached to legislation designed to protect consumers from certain practices by credit card companies.

Coburn said he is not sure his amendment will survive final negotiations between the House and Senate.

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., the lead sponsor of the credit card legislation, expressed concern over the impact such a gun amendment would have on his bill.

Coburn conceded Dodd’s point but added he did not want Second Amendment rights trampled.

Citing an example of a licensed gun owner who was convicted after driving into a park in Virginia, he said his amendment would establish clarity.

State laws would still “reign supreme,’’ Coburn said.

He said the amendment would not allow activities such as target shooting or hunting. Leslie Blair, public information officer for the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation, said concealed weapons are allowed in state parks.

Rangers and conservation groups in the past have criticized efforts to open up national parks to loaded guns. They have warned such a change could increase risks to visitors as well as park employees.

[TallGuns]

I sent to my elected representatives. Also have sent a request to six of my closest friends and am starting to work through my client list for an email campaign.
Thanks.

Buddy (Tall Guns)

[Smity]

Statistics Report:
# of forums message was posted: 12
# of views 8604
# of posts 421
# of people who sent emails 102

Top 3 responding forums:
1. DefensiveCarry Concealed Carry Forum 32
2. Trapshooters.com 20
3a. Gun and Game 13
3b. USA Carry - Open and Concealed Carry Information and Community 13 (Great Job!)

94% of the emails sent came from 6 forums:

DefensiveCarry Concealed Carry Forum
Trapshooters.com
Gun and Game
USA Carry - Open and Concealed Carry Information and Community
THR - Powered by vBulletin
Shooters Forum - Powered by vBulletin

I have dubbed these 6 The Quorum of Forums.

The mission of the Quorum is to use our collective strength to weigh in on the critical 2nd Amendment issues with the key influential elected and appointed officials at the decisive time.

I can't tell you how impressed I have been at the cooperation and effort and information that came from these 6 forums. Please tell this story. Spread the word about the Quorum and our mission. We need more members. We will not end up like England and Australia. We will fight the Brady Commission, and any other anti-gun group that tries to infringe on our 2nd Amendment rights, by speaking up and being heard by our elected officials.

The National Parks issue is not over so encourage all you know to contact their members of the House of Representatives and the President. Those are the key people now.

Signing off until the next critical issue at the decisive moment.
Thank you to all who participated.
Smity