The constitutional right of Americans to bear arms in national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges was restored today in a major victory for conservatives against the anti-gun lobby. The House approved the Coburn Amendment in a landslide 279-147 vote. All Republicans save 2 voted for the bill; the majority of Democrats voted against it.  

“This victory proves that in spite of Republicans being in the minority in both Houses, conservatives can still win on the core issues facing this nation, such as the constitutional right to bear arms,” says House Republican Conference Secretary John Carter. “The Constitution specifically bars the federal government – including the National Park Service – from infringing on this right, and this vote settles the fact that the federal government has been overstepping its authority on this issue. Coupled with the Hellar victory last summer in the Supreme Court, we are really seeing substantial progress on reversing a decades-long assault on the Bill of Rights by leftist advocacy groups.”

In an rare two-part vote, the House voted in favor of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act and then subsequently on an amendment to the Act that would allow law-abiding citizens to carry firearms in national parks, forests, and refuges in compliance with the law of the state in which the park or refuge is located. The Senate passed the credit card bill earlier this week after Senator Tom Coburn, (R-OK) inserted the gun amendment.