July 23, 2009

WASHINGTON -- The Senate failed Wednesday to approve a measure that would have allowed people who have permission to carry concealed weapons in their home states to carry them in all other states that issue such permits.

The legislation, an amendment to the defense appropriations bill, had the backing of some gun-friendly Democrats from Southern and Western states and the National Rifle Association, but was opposed by more than 400 mayors, top law enforcement officials and some of the victims' families from the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings, in which the gunman killed 32 people before committing suicide.

Proponents of the measure outnumbered opponents 58 to 39, but that was fewer than the 60 votes needed to have it attached to the bill.

``This is something that I believe is consistent with the constitutional right that citizens in this country have to keep and bear firearms,'' Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said after the vote. ``The right to defend oneself . . . does not end at state borders or with state lines.''

Democratic Sens. Mark Begich of Alaska and Max Baucus and Jon Tester of Montana were among the legislation's co-sponsors.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns, led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, took out an ad in Tuesday's edition of USA Today outlining why the city leaders oppose the measure. The legislation ``threatens the safety of our police officers by making it far more difficult to distinguish between legal and illegal firearm possession,'' the mayors wrote in a letter to congressional leaders.

Opponents also said they were concerned that people with concealed carry permits from states with weak criteria for obtaining them would be allowed to carry concealed weapons in states where the rules governing who gets permits are tougher, said Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill. Illinois and Wisconsin are the only states that don't permit private citizens to carry concealed weapons.

States with broad support for gun rights, such as Idaho and Alaska, allow anyone who has a valid permit from another state or local law enforcement agency to carry concealed weapons.

``America will not be safer'' with the amendment, Durbin argued on the floor of the Senate. ``New York should not have to let visitors on its city streets be governed by the laws of Alaska when it comes to carrying guns.''