There is a renewed effort to end the ban on firearms in national parks in the US Senate. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) is leading the charge. Sen. Crapo and dozens of other senators have written a letter to the Department of the Interior urging them to end the federal ban on firearms in national parks. This is a matter better left to the states and many states have no such restrictions.

Senator Elizabeth Dole has sent the letter but to the best of GRNC's knowledge Senator Richard Burr has not.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED

- Contact Senator Burr and use your own wording or use our pre-written message below:

Dear Senator Burr:

There is a renewed effort led by Senator Mike Crapo to end the federal ban on firearms in national parks. A letter is being sent by many senators to the Department of the Interior requesting this decision be made by each state. I urge you to send this letter on behalf of North Carolina citizens. The letter simply says:

Dear Secretary Kempthorne:


We write today concerning a longstanding effort to have the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service remove their prohibitions on law-abiding citizens from transporting and carrying firearms on lands managed by these agencies. We appeal to you on this matter in the interest of Second Amendment rights and consistency in firearms policy across federal public land management agencies.

As you know, 36 CFR 2.4, applicable to the National Park Service, and 50 CFR 27.42, applicable to the Fish and Wildlife Service, prohibits individuals from possessing a firearm on lands managed by those agencies - even citizens with valid concealed weapons permits.

These regulations infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners, who wish to transport and carry firearms on or across these lands. Also, you will note that other federal land management agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service allow transporting and carrying of firearms on these lands in accordance with the laws of the host state. These inconsistencies in firearms regulations for public lands are confusing, burdensome, and unnecessary.

For these reasons, we support an exception to 36 CFR 2.4 and 50 CFR 27.42 to allow law-abiding citizens to transport and carry firearms consistent with state law where the National Park Service's sites and the National Wildlife Refuges are located. Such regulatory changes would respect the Second Amendment rights of law- abiding gun owners, while providing a consistent application of state weapons laws across all land ownership boundaries.

We appreciate the opportunity to share our concerns with you. Please treat this letter in conformance with all applicable procedural rules and ethical guidelines.


Please send this letter Senator and support an end to this gun ban.

Sincerely,


A concerned North Carolina voter