Dem proposes repealing Capitol gun ban in response to concealed-carry bill

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), the District of Columbia’s nonvoting representative in Congress, is suggesting that Republicans repeal a law prohibiting guns in the Capitol if they want to push legislation allowing concealed-carry reciprocity.

The House is set to consider a package of gun legislation this week that includes a measure to allow people with permits for carrying concealed handguns to do so in any state that allows concealed weapons.

The concealed-carry bill, authored by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), is a top legislative priority for the National Rifle Association.

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Holmes Norton filed an amendment to the legislation on Monday that would prohibit the measure from taking effect until the law prohibiting guns in the Capitol complex is eliminated.

“I filed my amendment simply to point out the hypocrisy of overriding local laws enacted throughout the United States after assessing local views of risk, while Congress insulates itself by banning guns from the entire Capitol complex,” Holmes Norton said in a statement.

People seeking to enter the Capitol and its surrounding office buildings must go through security operated by the Capitol Police, who check for prohibited items like guns and other weapons.

At least one GOP lawmaker has called for allowing guns in the Capitol complex.

Last year, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) submitted an amendment to an annual spending bill for legislative branch operations that would permit lawmakers and staffers to carry guns on the Capitol grounds. The House Rules Committee did not grant floor consideration for King’s amendment, however.

Democrats widely oppose the concealed-carry reciprocity bill. But they do support a separate measure to beef up the background check system that will be attached to legislation.

The Fix NICS Act, authored by Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas), would ensure that authorities report criminal history records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and penalize agencies that don’t report records to the FBI.

Consideration of the gun package comes after the Oct. 1 shooting in Las Vegas, the deadliest in modern U.S. history, as well as another massacre on Nov. 5 at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

The Texas church shooter had a violent conviction on his record, but was allowed to purchase firearms due to the Air Force failing to properly enter the information into the NICS.

One provision directly in response to the mass shooting in Las Vegas would require the Bureau of Justice Statistics to report to Congress on the number of times a bump stock has been used in a crime.

Bump stocks are devices used to make guns fire more rapidly. Authorities found a dozen bump stocks in the hotel room used by the Las Vegas shooter, whose actions killed nearly 60 people and injured more than 500 others.

The House Rules Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to prepare the gun package for floor consideration for a vote later in the week.