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Reciprocity Passes… With a Poison Pill

12.06.17 

Today the “National Reciprocity Act” passed the US House on a 231-198 vote.

While national reciprocity would be a good thing for gun owners, and override Oregon’s ridiculous refusal to recognize a single other state’s concealed handgun license, the bill was coupled with terrible legislation dubbed “Fix NICS”.

Unfortunately “Fix NICS” vastly expands the flawed and failed Brady background check law and will no doubt ensnare many more people who will be denied their right to purchase a firearm as a result of faulty background checks.

“Fix NICS” was supported by anti-gun organizations as well as NRA and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, always a troubling alliance.

Ultimately no amount of legislation is going to change the fact that human error is responsible for the mess that the background check system is.

Now many people who are in no way dangerous or “criminal” are going to be added to the list of prohibited people. Nothing in the legislation provides any recourse for persons falsely denied.

The bill faces a very uncertain future in the Senate where it is quite possible that the reciprocity language could be stripped out leaving us with only more gun control.

It that happens, when the bill goes back to the House, the supporters of reciprocity will have a hard time opposing the new gun control they voted for.