Park Carry
At the request of the Bush Administration and 51 members of the United States Senate led by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prohibition of firearms on agency land will be revised in the following weeks. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is leading the effort to amend the existing policy regarding the carrying and transportation of firearms in National Parks and wildlife refuges.
“Law-abiding citizens should not be prohibited from protecting themselves and their families while enjoying America’s National Parks and wildlife refuges,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist. “Under this proposal, federal parks and wildlife refuges will mirror the state firearm laws for state parks. This is an important step in the right direction.”
These new regulations, when finalized, will provide uniformity across our nation’s federal lands and put an end to the patchwork of regulations that governed different lands managed by different federal agencies. In the past, only Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service lands allowed the carrying of firearms, while National Park lands did not.
The current regulations on possession, carry or transportation of loaded or uncased firearms in national parks were proposed in 1982 and finalized in 1983. Similar restrictions apply in national wildlife refuges. The NRA believes it is time to amend those regulations to reflect the changed legal situation with respect to state laws on carrying firearms.
The move for regulatory change by the Administration will restore the rights of law-abiding gun owners who wish to transport and carry firearms for lawful purposes in most National Park lands and will make the laws consistent with state law where these lands are located. Fifty-one U.S. Senators from both parties sent a letter to the Department of Interior late last year supporting the move to render state firearms laws applicable to National Park lands.
We’re winning.
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
was lamar one of the 51?
February 22nd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Where’s my wheelbarrow!?! I posted this too.
February 22nd, 2008 at 6:20 pm
So federal lands will operate the same as state lands in the states they are located in.
Aren’t firearms prohibited in most State Parks?
February 22nd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Firearms are NOT prohibited in Washington State parks.
February 23rd, 2008 at 8:04 am
They are also allowed in Indiana state parks.
February 23rd, 2008 at 3:47 pm
They are prohibited in TN if the park is posted stating firearms are not allowed. I guess most parks are posted as such.
February 24th, 2008 at 4:40 am
The current rules would not seem to slow down poachers very much, as a person intending to poach could just re-assemble his weapon when he knows that nobody is looking. The current rules do tend to put one at a disadvantage if he is accosted by featherless-biped predators.
If I were running the National Parks, I’d allow people to carry anti-human weapons (that is, pistols) but not anti-wildlife weapons (large rifles)
Take yer chances with the Grizzlies. Or don’t enter the park.
February 24th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
It’s funny to see this happen this way. I mean, if enacted, it would just be a removal of regulations rather than passing a law preventing regulations such as Ron Paul’s H.R. 1897 (which is a clone (or vice-versa) of former Rep George Allen’s S. 4057, entered while he was a lame duck)
So is this the “sunshine gun law” equivalent to slapping DC “taxation without representation” tags on the presidential limo? Bill Clinton pulled that little stunt on his way out of office, despite him having 8 years in the White House and not doing a damn thing to give DC residents a congress-critter. If Bush actually pulls this off, it could easily be reversed by Hillary, Obama, or McCain.
While Bush is waving that pen around, he could also repeal a few executive orders on “sporting purposes” import restrictions too. Of course, this is the same bastard that just bitch-slapped us RKBA people with his amicus curiae, so don’t hold your breath.