National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Thwarted Despite Bipartisan Majority Vote

On Wednesday, July 22, by a margin of 58-39, a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate voted in favor of an amendment offered by Senators John Thune (R-SD) and David Vitter (R-LA) to provide interstate recognition of Right-to-Carry permits. The amendment to S.1390 -- the National Defense Authorization Act -- would acknowledge that the right to self-defense extends across state lines. Under this provision, individuals with carry permits from their home state, or who are otherwise allowed to carry a firearm in their home state, could carry in any other state that issues permits.

Despite the bipartisan majority of votes, the Thune-Vitter amendment did not pass because it fell just two votes short of the required 60 votes for approval. This 60-vote approval threshold was decided upon by a procedural agreement between Senate leaders. The agreement was, in part, used to avoid a filibuster and any hostile amendments to the Thune-Vitter amendment.

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It is important to point out that both Senators Franken and Klobuchar voted against this amendment. I have in my possession a mailer from the Klobuchar campaign in 2006. There is a quote from Amy on it, "I support the Second Amendment right to own guns for protection, collection or sport." Yet she voted against our second amendment rights. Hypocrite. I will be keeping this mailer for reference during her next campaign.