House Passes H.R. 218 - Now on to the Senate!

[savparts]

House Passes H.R. 218 - Now on to the Senate!

This just in from LEAA...

For Immediate Release
June 23rd 2004

House Passes 'National Concealed Carry for Cops'
LEAA's 12 year fight ends in victory for officer safety

Washington DC - The House of Representatives today overwhelmingly passed
H.R. 218, legislation that would allow qualified off-duty and retired law
enforcement officers to carry their firearms concealed in all 50 states.

Originally drafted by Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Law
Enforcement Alliance of America (LEAA) Executive Director Jim Fotis in 1992,
the 'National Concealed Carry for Cops' legislation has been a 12 year fight
that has been embraced by nearly every association representing rank and
file police officers and a significant bipartisan majority in the House and
Senate.

At a press conference marking passage of the life-saving legislation in the
House, Fotis remarked, "After more than a decade of fighting, a major
victory has been won for America's men and women in blue. For 12 years the
Law Enforcement Alliance of America has backed Congressman Cunningham in his
efforts and helped lead the fight to pass H.R 218. In that time Duke has
proven himself, time and time again, to be a good friend and the greatest
ally a good cause -- and cops -- could ever have. We owe a debt of
gratitude to Law Enforcement's 'Top Gun' on Capitol Hill. Thank you
Congressman Cunningham."

LEAA's Fotis and Congressman Cunningham were joined by Congressman Ric
Keller (R-FL) and Congressman Tom Feeney (R-FL) as well as law enforcement
leaders Bill Johnson from the National Association of Police Organizations
(NAPO), Don Baldwin from the National Law Enforcement Council (NLEC), Brad
Card from the National Troopers Coalition (NTC) and other law enforcement
leaders as well as officers from area departments.

H.R. 218 now awaits a vote by the Senate. President Bush has indicated his
strong support and his willingness to promptly sign 'National Concealed
Carry for Cops' into law.

For more information about H.R. 218 or S. 253 please go to:
http://leaa.org/218/

[Sniper[MI]]

Now is the time for ALL of you to call your Senators and urge them to pass this legislation!

E amil, call and Write a letter to them. do not delay!

One small victory at a time is how we will get CCW in all 50 states. Then it is on to getting "SHall Issue" CCW's in all states!

If every state has CCW then recipricocity between all states is a no brainer!!!

Get up and get going, we CAN win this battle!

[Stopper]

Now only cops and retired cops can carry concealed - good for them but what about the rest of us. Looks like they are coming up with another class of citizen. Have's and have not's - thats not what this country is supposed to be about. It's nice to see the congress critters coming up with yet another way to poke us up the poopchute. Let us all carry or no one carries.

[Sniper[MI]]

Originally Posted by Stopper

Now only cops and retired cops can carry concealed - good for them but what about the rest of us. Looks like they are coming up with another class of citizen. Have's and have not's - thats not what this country is supposed to be about. It's nice to see the congress critters coming up with yet another way to poke us up the poopchute. Let us all carry or no one carries.

For now, yes. The LEO will be the only ones who can do so nationally. But it is called momentum and the libs figured it out years ago. They have been whipping our fannies ever since.

You get rolling on a series of small, easily obtainable victories. You keep aquiring these small victories and continue to do so while ever expanding the scope of your goal.

First it is CCW for all off duty police officers. Then it is some form of CCW in EVERY state, then recipricocity between all states, then shall issue, nationally.

I balk at getting federal mandates to cover all states as then it is very easy, with one loss, to remove everyones rights.

But if done on the STATE level, it is far harder to undo.

LIbertarians take note, that is how you will be able to become either a viable 3rd party, or take over the liberal left!

[Shaun]

LEO's are just like us they are not a special class therefore we should have the same recognition

[BattleRifleG3]

I think this is a step in the right direction. Concealed carry provides that criminals do not know who may be carrying somewhere. It will reduce crime and is a stepping stone for more CCW rights, such as reciprocity and shall issue.

[Stopper]

I hope your right Sniper, but I tend to think alot less of our "keepers" and they'll never allow us to carry concealed nationally. As long as "we" think we need permission from the congresscritters than we are the slaves they have always wanted and lord knows you don't let slaves walk around armed.

But I'm root'n for us man!

[ScottD]

Let's hope this does snowball into everybody carrying. I'm tired of being treated as a second class citizen.

Originally Posted by Stopper

Now only cops and retired cops can carry concealed - good for them but what about the rest of us. Looks like they are coming up with another class of citizen. Have's and have not's - thats not what this country is supposed to be about. It's nice to see the congress critters coming up with yet another way to poke us up the poopchute. Let us all carry or no one carries.

What this country is supposed to be about and what this country is about are two different things.

It makes sense that off duty cops and retired cops should be allowed to carry.

[Rave]

We think the LEO's carrying in all fifty is a good thing and we believe we will follow eventually. Good show! :nod:

[Mandy]

:nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

A step is a step, I like the momentum thing, lets hope it snowball before I die at the age of 100+ yrs !!

:nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

[Despoiler]

While I think that allowing current LEO's to carry is ok why include the retired? It makes me agree with stopper, are LEO's better than the rest of us. I have been trying to get a CCW here in Ca for the last 6 years and have been denied.

[Calvin]

The retired LEO's should be able to carry concealed whenever they feel the need to. Remember, most of them have put away some bad guys in their time, and could be subject to retaliation upon the scumbags' release.
It sucks that it's divided a class of people who put on their pants the same as anyone else, but that's the way it goes. Not that I agree with it, because I don't. But, I feel if a citizen can prove they maintain proficiency with their firearms on a regular basis in a course that matches their local PD's Q-course, they should be allowed to carry.
Just my humble opinion as a cop.....

[Rufus Rhastus J]

Me Too!!!!

[colt45]

I agree with the offduty, but not the retired. if you are still and LEO then fine. a retired LEO has no more right to carry than you or I he does not qualify every six months. and is no more a LEO than you or I at that piont.
I have had more range time and training in comabt handgun than 90% of our LEOs around here and i know with out a dought i can shoot better and more controlled than most of them that are on duty now, they are serving us and deserve to be able to protect them selves and thier families while off duty. retired officers are civilians just like us, on this stopper and i agree let us all or let none. the off duty guys don't fall into this areas they on the job 24/7 even when not in uniform.

[Sniper[MI]]

It is not up to the "keepers". It is up to the average joe with a gun to get out and vote pro gun, and teach someone else to shoot and hunt.

If everyone did that, this would all be a moot point.......

[Shaun]

AllenT Placer S.O. is easy to get one -- you just have to show a valid reason to get it called self defense.

go for a ride along with a deputy and become friends they will tell you how to work the system to your benefit R.PD can not issue

[Stopper]

it is up to the keepers, carry concealed around here and get caught and the KEEPERS will put you away. No CCW in Kansass.

Colt45 has me on the off duty LEO issue - but I assumed they carried anyways. I would if I was one of 'em.

I too hope this is the first step towards national CCW, but again I have to look back on history, and history shows me that the people "we" put in charge to make these decisions are lacking in thier ability to allow us to live free and without interference from them. It's a mental tick they have, they just can't let it happen, they have to have control, they won't let it go.

I hope I'm proven wrong, if I am I'll drink 15 beers in a row without taking anymore than 12 pee breaks and eat a box of tacos while sitting in me lawn chair!

[colt45]

here in NY they do, when i lived in Texas we where told not to.(long time ago) that may have changed.
in PA they do, at least all they guys i worked in conection with anyway, but they all had to have CCW permits to do it. and they can't do it if they cross into NY. i think this is why this is an issue, its a cross boarder thing (state boraders).
but if we get a national CCW save me a beer and a taco.

[Stopper]

Your on - I hate eating alone.