As Washington lawmakers prepare to vote on expanded background checks for gun purchases, Senator Charles Schumer warned Sunday that a possible Republican amendment to a federal gun safety bill could force all states, including New York, to recognize all other states’ concealed-carry laws.
Senators will take up this week a bipartisan amendment being pushed by Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
The two senators appeared on CNN’s “State Of The Union” on Sunday to explain their measure to expand background checks on all commercial gun sales.
Toomey and Manchin, who are both highly rated by the National Rifle Association, said they are pushing the compromise as a way to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.
“Now, there are some people that do want to infringe on Second Amendment rights. I won’t be part of that,” Toomey said. “But I will be part of trying to make sure criminals and dangerously mentally ill people have a harder time getting guns.”
“Pat and I both coming from a gun culture, both NRA, both gun people ourselves who own guns and hunt and go out into the woods and enjoy it all,” Manchin said. “If you’re a law-abiding gun owner, you’re going to like this bill.”
Despite this being a bipartisan agreement, the background check amendment might not pass. Sen. Charles Schumer, a co-sponsor of the amendment, said that vote is going to be extremely close.
Some senators say, in the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, there should be a different focus to this debate.
“Guns are what people are using, but violence is our problem and no one is having a debate about the violence problem,” Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, said on NBC’s “Meet The Press.” “And I think this is a missed opportunity to have an honest and open conversation in this country about why these horrifying things are happening.”
Schumer also said he is also concerned that gun rights advocates could tack on amendments that could weaken the overall legislation.
He said a possible Republican amendment would force all states to recognize each other’s concealed-carry laws. That could override New York’s restrictions and, according to Schumer, endanger residents and law enforcement.
“In New York, Times Square is different than rural Wyoming, and our police don’t need even law-abiding citizens having the right to carry guns underneath because you can’t tell the difference between them and criminals,” Schumer said.
By Sunday afternoon the concealed-carry amendment had not been offered yet, but Schumer said he thought it would be.
The vote on the background check amendment could happen Tuesday or Wednesday.
(Source: NY1)
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“In New York, Times Square is different than rural Wyoming, and our police don’t need even law-abiding citizens having the right to carry guns underneath because you can’t tell the difference between them and criminals,” Schumer said.
Per Chuckie Schumer’s Talmudic reasoning, an off-duty cop should be shot dead by a uniformed cop at least once a week, but we don’t see that happening.
I feel that this amendment should not be added to this bill and I am a proud, frum, Concealed Handgun License holder. I believe that the citizens of EVERY state should vote on this issue and pass their own laws. If they vote yes, than they can participate in the Reciprocity agreement which most CHL states now sign and keep Washington D.C. out of this issue. I would hope citizens would research the issue and not just have a knee jerk reaction to say no or for that matter, yes. The majority of people in my home state have no issue with CHL holders and our state government passed a law allowing it many years ago upon the urging of its citizens (and yes, if a majority voted to repeal the law I would support that as well). As a concealed license holder I feel I have no right to impose on your sense of security, should your state not allow concealed carry on its own, just so that I can exercise a right I cherish? One final point, my comments above should not be considered a limit or expansion on the 2nd Amendment. I’m only addressing this article.