Crapo: New Interior Firearms Proposal Follows State Law

Washington, DC - A newly-proposed regulation from the Interior Department regarding firearms on certain public lands will soon be reviewed by Congress and the general public. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, who led the effort to revise the regulation to allow for consistency with state law, released the following statement today:

"Under the proposed rule, law-abiding gun owners would be permitted to transport and carry firearms through federal parks and refuges in accordance with the state law applicable to state parks within that state. This regulatory change will bring the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service closer in line with the nation's other two major land management agencies, the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service, which currently defer to statewide firearms laws. It is important that we provide consistency in firearm regulations and recognize states' rights in this matter."

Crapo authored a letter co-signed by 50 of his colleagues seeking the change from Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. The Department of Interior, through the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service, announced the proposal this week. Crapo noted the efforts of a number of citizen and sportsmen's groups and the National Rifle Association for their help to promote self-defense and Second Amendment rights issues as factors in changing the federal firearms rules. The proposed regulations will be in a comment period which started today (April 30, 2008). Following the public comment period, the Interior Department will make a final determination on the amended regulations.