Armed Forces Self-Defense Act

Bill: 114-s-1821
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI]
Introduced: 2015-07-21
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Department of Defense

Firearms and explosives

Military command and structure

Military facilities and property

Military personnel and dependents

National Guard and reserves
Latest action: action_date: 2015-07-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-07-21
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Armed Forces Self-Defense Act</strong></p> <p> This bill states U.S. policy that Department of Defense (DOD) personnel shall be appropriately armed and have the inherent right to self-defense.</p> <p> Current regulations and directives, or any provision in any other rule, regulation, or executive order prohibiting military personnel trained in firearms from carrying personal firearms on U.S. military installations shall have no further force or effect with regard to such military personnel, and they shall not be prohibited from carrying personal firearms on U.S. military installations. </p> <p>The bill directs DOD to establish a process by which the commander of a military installation in the United States may authorize a qualifying member of the Armed Forces assigned to duty at the installation to carry a concealed personal firearm on the installation if the commander determines it to be necessary as a personal-protection or force-protection measure.</p> <p>The commander of the installation shall consult with appropriate state and local elected officials and take into consideration state and local laws law regarding carrying a concealed personal firearm.</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1821 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 21, 2015 Mr. Johnson introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To permit service members to carry firearms on military installations, including reserve centers and recruitment offices.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Armed Forces Self-Defense Act . 2. Statement of policy (a) In general It is the policy of the United States that Department of Defense personnel shall be appropriately armed and have the inherent right to self-defense. (b) Department of Defense policy It shall be the policy of the Department of Defense to permit trained military personnel to carry, open or concealed, certain personal firearms while on military installations in the United States. (c) Effective date This section shall take effect not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 3. Repeal of portions of regulations and directives prohibiting service members trained in the use of firearms from carrying a personal firearm on a military installation (a) Termination of force and effect of current regulations and directives Effective not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the following regulations, directives, and rules shall have no further force or effect: (1) Section 4.b. of the Department of Defense Directive Number 5210.56, issued on November 1, 2001, and modified on January 24, 2002, and on April 1, 2011. (2) Army Regulation 190–14, issued on March 12, 1993. (b) Other firearm bans Effective not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, any provision in any other rule, regulation, or Executive order that prohibits military personnel trained in firearms from carrying personal firearms on United States military installations shall have no further force or effect with regard to such military personnel, and such military personnel shall not be prohibited from carrying personal firearms on United States military installations. 4. Process by which service members may carry a personal firearm on a military installation (a) Process required Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, taking into consideration the views of senior leadership of military installations in the United States, shall establish a process by which the commander of a military installation in the United States may authorize a member of the Armed Forces who is assigned to duty at the installation to carry a personal firearm on the installation if the commander determines it to be necessary as a personal- or force-protection measure. (b) Relation to State and local law In establishing the process under subsection (a) for a military installation, the commander of the installation shall consult with elected officials of the State and local jurisdictions in which the installation is located and take into consideration the law of the State and such jurisdictions regarding carrying a personal firearm. (c) Member qualifications To be eligible to be authorized to carry a personal firearm on a military installation pursuant to the process established under subsection (a), a member of the Armed Forces— (1) must complete any training and certification required by any State in which the installation is located that would permit the member to carry in that State; (2) must not be subject to disciplinary action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for any offense that could result in incarceration or separation from the Armed Forces; and (3) must not be prohibited from possessing a firearm because of conviction of a crime of domestic violence. (d) State defined In this section, the term State includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States. 5. Definitions In this Act: (1) Military installation The term military installation means a base, camp, post, station, yard, center, or other activity, including a reserve center and a recruitment office, under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a military department. (2) Firearm The term firearm means a handgun, specifically, a gun designed for use in one hand such as a pistol or a revolver.