The measure would protect Americans' right to carry guns in public
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and a slew of other House Republicans are pushing a proposal that would compel states to allow Americans to carry guns in public areas.
The measure, dubbed the "National Constitutional Carry Act," would prohibit states and localities from limiting U.S. citizens from carrying firearms in public if they are eligible to have the weapons under state and federal law.
"By prohibiting state or local restrictions on the right to bear arms, H.R. 645 upholds the original purpose of the Second Amendment—to ensure the security of a free state—while safeguarding individual liberties against government infringement," Massie noted, according to a press release.
MASSIE DROPS COLORFUL ANALOGY OPPOSING FOREIGN AID, MOCKS SPEAKER JOHNSON WITH AI-GENERATED IMAGE
Left: Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Monday, July 22, 2024; Center: Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is seen outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024; Right: Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, attends the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Left: Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Center: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Right: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Specifically, the text of the measure stipulates that "No State or political subdivision of a State may impose a criminal or civil penalty on, or otherwise indirectly limit the carrying of firearms (including by imposing a financial or other barrier to entry) in public by residents or nonresidents of that State who are citizens of the United States and otherwise eligible to possess firearms under State and Federal law."
"Any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of a State or a political subdivision of a State that criminalizes, penalizes, or otherwise indirectly dissuades the carrying of firearms (including by imposing a financial or other barrier to entry) in public by any resident or nonresident who is a United States citizen and otherwise eligible to possess firearms under State and Federal law, shall have no force or effect," the measure reads.
The measure would not apply to locations "where screening for firearms is conducted under state law," and it would not block the owners of privately-owned facilities from banning guns on their premises.
Massie and others had previously pushed such a proposal last year as well.
IN ONE U.S. TOWN, RESIDENTS ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO OWN GUNS AND AMMO
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., arrives for the first day of the 119th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
In 2021, Massie shared a family Christmas photo in which each person was holding a gun.
"Merry Christmas!" the staunch gun rights advocate wrote when sharing the photo, adding, "ps. Santa, please bring ammo."
In a 2022 post, he criticized the term "Gun Violence," asserting that it "is part of the language leftists use to shift blame away from evil perpetrators of violence" and that it "suggests that guns are to blame instead of people, which sets the table for their anti-second amendment agenda."
"There’s a reason you never see a Communist, a Marxist, or even a Socialist politician support the right of common people to keep and bear arms: Those forms of government require more submission to the state than armed citizens would tolerate," Massie also tweeted in 2022.
REP. MASSIE LAUNCHES ‘MAXIMUM TRIGGERING’ WITH FAMILY CHRISTMAS PHOTO: ‘SANTA, PLEASE BRING AMMO’
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference in Cannon building on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The congressman's press release lists dozens of House Republicans as original cosponsors, including: Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Eric Burlison of Missouri, Ben Cline of Virginia, Michael Cloud of Texas, Mike Collins of Georgia, Eli Crane of Arizona, Brandon Gill of Texas, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Andy Harris of Maryland, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Nick Langworthy of New York, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Mary Miller of Illinois, Barry Moore of Alabama, Nathaniel Moran of Texas, Andrew Ogles of Tennessee, John Rose of Tennessee, Chip Roy of Texas, Keith Self of Texas, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Claudia Tenney of New York, Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, Randy Weber of Texas and Tony Wied of Wisconsin.
Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.
