Mississippi Senator led effort to support Second Amendment rights for rail passengers

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today announced the implementation of a new Amtrak policy, allowing passengers to transport firearms in secure, checked luggage. The Amtrak service begins tomorrow.

"This law provides hunters, sportsmen, and gun owners with more choices for traveling," said Wicker. "While airlines offer an option to transport a properly stored gun, rail passengers have not had the same opportunity. I applaud Amtrak for its work for nearly a year to ensure firearms can be transported safely. This is a major victory because it reverses a trend we have seen in this Congress to be hostile toward hunters and gun owners. The Administration and the Amtrak board found there was a great deal of bipartisan support for this very reasonable procedure."

In December 2009, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L.111-117) into law. A provision in the bill authored by Senator Wicker directs Amtrak to implement the procedures necessary to provide storage and carriage of firearms in checked baggage cars and at Amtrak stations that accept checked baggage within one year of the bill's enactment.

The law states that if an Amtrak station accepts luggage for a specific route, passengers must be able to lawfully transport firearms and ammunition in secure baggage based on the following guidelines:

• The passenger must declare to Amtrak within 24-hours of departure that the firearm will be placed in his or her checked baggage;
• The firearm must be unloaded and carried in a hard-sided container;
• The hard-sided container must be locked and only the passenger has the combination or key for the container.

By Brian Darling
Monday, December 6th at 7:30PM EST  

Liberal Democrats are going to take a run at the Filibuster in January. The have adopted idea that the Senate is not a continuing body and that the rules can be changed with a simple majority of Senators voting in a new Congress, in January, to adopt new rules. This interpretation of the Senate rules ignores the clear rules of the Senate and long tradition of rules being changed with only a 2/3rds vote of Senators.

If the Senate goes forward with this perversion of the Senate's traditions and explicit rules, conservatives need to take advantage of this opportunity to change the Senate rules to create a multitude of points of order against legislation that infringes on the 2nd Amendment, raises taxes and increases spending, in addition to other ideas.

The first idea that should be deployed by conservatives is to force a vote on the below new rule to protect the Second Amendment rights of all Americans:

"Sec. ____. Second Amendment Point of Order.  The Standing Rules of the Senate are amended by adding the following point of order: 'It shall not be in order for the Senate to consider an Amendment, Bill, Resolution, Motion or Conference Report that infringes on the right of any American to own or use a firearm unless the Senate waives by 2/3rds roll call vote of those sworn to serve the Senate.'”

This new rule would be something that would strike fear in the heart of those who despise the natural right, recognized in the Constitution, of Americans to protect themselves with a firearm. It could be followed with a series of other popular items to establish super majority rules to protect against tax increases and an every expanding federal government.  If conservatives deploy a series of new ideas for Senate rules, a bullying majority of liberals may have second thoughts about changing Senate rules with a simple majority.

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Sen. Wicker Amendment to take Effect Dec. 15

December 2, 2010

 (Springfield, VA)--Legislation authored by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) to repeal a gun ban on Amtrak trains will go into effect on December 15, one year after it was signed into law.

GOA spearheaded the victorious campaign to get the Wicker amendment passed in the Senate. It will replace the current policy--guns are banned even in checked bags on Amtrak trains--with a policy similar to airlines. Firearms will soon be allowed in checked bags on the trains so long as they are declared and carried in a prescribed manner.

Sen. Wicker thanked GOA for its work on the amendment. "Gun Owners of America was helpful in spreading the word about the importance of lifting the gun ban on those traveling by rail," said Sen. Wicker. "This provision protects Americans' Second Amendment right and is a small but important step in eliminating bias against gun owners."

The change will be welcome news to gun owners who use Amtrak. "Those who travel by train who wish to bring a firearm to their destination for self-protection will be able to do so," said GOA lobbyist John Velleco. "It's also good news for hunters and others who have a need to transport personal firearms while traveling.

"GOA applauds Sen. Wicker's efforts to prevent a federally subsidized entity from banning firearms."

On Amtrak, like commercial airlines, firearms will have to be declared, and stored in a locked, hard-sided case, with ammunition stored separately. Amtrak has posted specific rules on its website here.

GOA is also working on loosening concealed carry restrictions nationwide, making it more likely that concealed carry permit holders will eventually be allowed to carry firearms while traveling by train.

"Ultimately, firearms owners make travel safer not only for themselves, but for non-gun owners as well. The best deterrent to a criminal attack is an armed citizen," Velleco said.

Effort continues to protect M1 Garands

In a little-noticed decision in March, the Obama administration reversed an earlier decision and moved to block the importation of 857,470 lawful M1 semi-automatic rifles which were being sold by South Korea in an effort to raise money for its military.

According to the State Department, this action was taken because the M1’s “could potentially be exploited... for illicit purposes.”

Even worse, a spokesman for the State Department left the impression that the valuable historic relics could possibly be melted down or otherwise destroyed.

Possession of these firearms by Americans is lawful, and purchasers would have to be approved through the Instant Check system.

Pro-gun Reps. John Boozman and Paul Broun wrote and are submitting a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging that this unlawful decision be reversed.  Their letter, which can be viewed HERE, was cosigned by 66 additional Representatives.

GOA is also working with Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Mike Johanns (R-NE) on a Senate letter to Secretary Clinton. 

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