On the recordDecember 6, 2017
I am here today to support the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which will allow a person who is licensed in one State to carry their firearm to carry it in other States. It works just like your driver's license. My Texas driver's license lets me drive in Virginia; it lets me drive in Florida; it lets me drive in California. When I was a child growing up in Texas, my family taught me the importance of marksmanship, gun safety, and the Second Amendment. And I have long said that, when it comes to reducing violence, it is the individual, not the weapon, that we need to be focused on. This bill helps ensure an American's right to carry is not infringed when crossing State lines, enhancing public safety. In fact, as the chairman stated earlier here today, a peer-reviewed study shows that States with more restrictive concealed carry laws had higher gun- related murder rates. That is why we need an armed citizenry to protect ourselves and each other. As we saw in the terrible Texas church shooting in Sutherland Springs just recently, the death toll could have been much higher had not an armed citizen been there to confront the gunman. There are those who insist the bill will arm the criminals, but those claims are far from true, as gun laws restricting criminals from access to weapons are already there in their home States. They are going to remain undisturbed. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and the Constitution, as I suspect most of you all are, Mr.…
