National reciprocity for concealed carry holders fails to pass in U.S. Senate

Two Republicans, including Ohio's lame duck Republican Senator George Voinovich, voted AGAINST nationwide reciprocity for concealed carry license-holders. The resulting 58-39 vote failed to overcome a Democrat filibuster.

By Jim Irvine

The United States Senate failed to pass an amendment that would have made concealed carry licenses valid in all states that issue them. This is another blow to law-abiding citizens and further illustrates why it is so important to defeat the likes of Sonya Sotomayor in her quest to become a voice for anti-freedom groups in our U.S. Supreme Court.

The amendment, sponsored by South Dakota Senator John Thune, and known officially as Amendment #1618, was being offered as an attachment to S.1290, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2010.

If enacted, this would have allowed a person who possesses a valid concealed weapons license issued by the state they reside in to carry a gun in every state that issues licenses (all states except Illinois and Wisconsin.) It would not have changed any state's requirement for obtaining a license, or the state's rules that apply to license holders.

It is interesting to note the 39 Senators went with the big money, and seemed more swayed by full page ads (signed by several Ohio mayors) in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, than the thousands of phone calls and emails from constituents that were overwhelmingly in support of passage of this common sense amendment.

We thank our supporters who took the time to contact their Senators about this important issue. Additionally, it is critical to see how other prominent Republicans weighed in on the issue. Several Republicans, including Treasurer candidate Josh Mandel and Attorney General candidate Dave Yost, spent the last 24 hours working hard in support of your rights. They made phone calls and used their extensive email network to inform people on this issue. Their deeds fully back up their strong words.

We understand that Senator Voinovich received many phone calls, overwhelmingly in support of passing the legislation. Unfortunately, he has followed Senator DeWine down a road of less individual rights. Like DeWine, he has lost respect for you, the law-abiding voter.

It is fitting that on the day his anti-gun friend Mike DeWine announces he wants back into your lives, Senator Voinovich (who announced his pending retirement earlier this year after recognizing that voters were preparing to throw him out of office) voted to deny you basic civil rights. He is more in touch with the radical socialists of New York and California than his own constituents. December 2010 cannot come soon enough.

Jim Irvine is the Buckeye Firearms Association Chairman, and the host of Firearms Forum, Ohio's first talk radio show about guns and gun rights.

Roll Call Vote, Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---58

Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagan (D-NC)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Vitter (R-LA)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Wicker (R-MS)

NAYs ---39

Akaka (D-HI)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Burris (D-IL)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kaufman (D-DE)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Reed (D-RI)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Specter (D-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 3

Byrd (D-WV)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Mikulski (D-MD)