Senate narrowly rejects ‘radical’ concealed weapon measure

The Senate narrowly rejected a concealed weapons measure that critics have blasted as “radical” Wednesday afternoon.

The AP reports, “In a rare win for gun control advocates, the Senate on Wednesday rejected a measure allowing a person with a concealed weapon permit in one state to also hide his firearm when visiting another state.”

Earlier Wednesday morning, a New York Times editorial entitled “Gun Crazy in the Senate” denounced the measure as “radical.”

“Introduced as an amendment to the military’s budget bill by Senator John Thune, a Republican of South Dakota, this radical measure would nullify the laws of almost every state, subjecting police officers to greater risk and increasing the potential for gun violence,” the Times editorial said.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D, NJ) called it an “attempt by the gun lobby to put its radical agenda ahead of safety and security in our communities.”

The Associated Press story adds, “The vote was 58-39 in favor of the provision establishing concealed carry permit reciprocity in the 48 states that have concealed weapons laws. That fell two votes short of the 60 needed to approve the measure, offered as an amendment to a defense spending bill.”

At the Washington Post, Paul Kane notes, “Even in defeat, the debate demonstrated the continued power of the National Rifle Association and gun rights advocates in Congress, because the Thune amendment was considered the most far reaching federal effort ever proposed to expand laws to allow weapons ownership.”