Tell Congress to Oppose Unregulated Concealed Weapons

Too often we have seen how guns are used in the public forum by someone acting in anger. ... People with guns in public areas can become the aggrieved, the jury, and the judge, in swift and violent sequence. Passions can quickly escalate when a gun is present in a disagreement among people. Instead of resolving issues by peaceful, civil actions, a permitless carry law will further advance the mentality that every individual is a law unto himself or herself. Respect for the dignity of human life and moral responsibility will be further eroded.

—Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, Open letter to TX legislators prior to passage of permitless carry, 3 May 2021

Tell Congress to Oppose Unregulated Concealed Weapons

The House Judiciary Committee recently advanced a dangerous bill that would allow nearly anyone to carry a concealed and loaded gun, regardless of state and local laws. H.R.38 and S.65 would enact “constitutional” carry, also known as permitless carry, meaning that individuals do not have to undergo a background check, licensing, or training before carrying a concealed weapon.

Please use the draft email in the grey box at right (below on mobile devices) to urge Congress to oppose the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.

Background

The “Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act” would force states to yield to the weakest concealed carry laws in the country, as anyone legally able to carry a concealed weapon in one state would now be allowed to do so across state lines. Prior to 2010, 48 states required permits to carry a concealed weapon, but many states have since repealed these requirements, leaving only 21 states requiring some variation of firearm training, background checks, and licensing to do so and 29 allowing unregulated concealed carry. Under H 38 and S 65, all states would be forced to allow concealed carry without these safety measures.

Permitless concealed carry makes our communities less safe and is associated with increases in violent crime, firearm robberies, gun thefts, workplace homicides, and mass shootings. According to a 2022 study, states with permitless carry saw a 22% increase in gun homicide for the three years following passage of these laws. Additionally, leading law enforcement agencies have previously opposed these measures for making it more difficult to confirm if an individual is legally allowed to carry a gun.