I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 407
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for reciprocity in regard
to the manner in which nonresidents of a State may carry certain
concealed firearms in that State.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 19, 1999
Mr. PAUL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for reci-
procity in regard to the manner in which nonresidents
of a State may carry certain concealed firearms in that
State.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Second Amendment
Restoration Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
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(1) Law-abiding citizens use guns to defend
themselves against criminals as many as 2.5 million
times every year—or 6,850 times a day. This means
that each year, firearms are used 60 times more
often to protect the lives of honest citizens than to
take lives.
(2) Of the 2.5 million self-defense cases, more
than 200,000 are by women defending themselves
against sexual abuse. And as many as one-half mil-
lion times every year, somebody carrying a gun away
from home defends himself or herself.
(3) Citizens shoot and kill over 1,500 criminals
a year, which is more than twice as many as police
kill.
(4) Of the 2.5 million times citizens use their
guns to defend themselves every year, the over-
whelming majority merely brandish their gun or fire
a warning shot to scare off their attackers. Less
than 8 percent of the time, a citizen will kill or
wound his/her attacker.
(5) Handguns are the weapon of choice for self-
defense. Citizens use handguns to protect themselves
over 1.9 million times a year.
(6) Police cannot possibly protect every individ-
ual citizen. Currently, there are about 150,000 po-
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lice officers on duty at any one time to protect a
population of more than 250 million Americans—or
almost 1,700 citizens per officer.
(7) The second amendment to the Constitution
of the United States protects the right of Americans
to carry firearms in defense of themselves and oth-
ers.
SEC. 3. RECIPROCITY FOR THE CARRYING OF CERTAIN
CONCEALED FIREARMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18, United
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 926A
the following:
‘‘RECIPROCITY FOR THE CARRYING OF CERTAIN
CONCEALED FIREARMS
‘‘SEC. 926B. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of
the law of any State or political subdivision thereof, a per-
son who is not prohibited by Federal law from possessing,
transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm and—
‘‘(1) who is carrying a valid license or permit
which is issued pursuant to the law of any State and
which permits the person to carry a concealed fire-
arm; or
‘‘(2) who is otherwise entitled to carry a con-
cealed firearm in and pursuant to the law of the
State of a person’s residence—
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may carry in any State a concealed firearm in accordance
with the terms of the license or with the laws of the State
of the person’s residence, subject to the laws of the State
in which the firearm is carried concerning locations in
which firearms may not be carried.’’.
(b) SEVERABILITY.—If any provision of this Act, or
the application thereof to any person or circumstance is
held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions
or applications of the Act which can be given effect with-
out the invalid provisions or applications, and to this end
the provisions of this Act are severable.
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
for chapter 44 of title 18 is amended by inserting after
the item relating to section 926A the following:
‘‘926B. Reciprocity for the carrying of certain concealed firearms.’’.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The provisions of this Act shall take effect 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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