Congressman Nick Begich III has signed on as a cosponsor of H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.

In Alaska, Begich said, firearms are a fundamental way of life.

“The right to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities does not fade away as you cross an imaginary line. That’s why I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of H.R. 38, and I encourage my colleagues in the House to support this important piece of legislation.”

Congressman Richard Hudson of North Carolina led over 120 of his colleagues in introducing H.R. 38. The legislation would provide nationwide reciprocity for concealed carry license holders and for residents of constitutional carry states.

Hudson introduced the bill in previous years. In December 2017, the bill passed the House with bipartisan support, yet it was not taken up in the Senate.

Rep. Hudson has repeatedly said he would continue to pursue the legislation, again in 2023, and again not being taken up in the Senate.

Then-Rep. Mary Peltola, who was voted out of office in November, chose not to co-sponsor the 2023 attempt to pass the bill and it is doubtful President Joe Biden would have signed it.

President Donald Trump, however, has committed to signing national concealed carry reciprocity legislation into law.

The bill has support of the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America.

“Congress has the opportunity to deliver the greatest legislative victory for the gun rights movement in a century, and President Trump has already voiced his support,” said Aidan Johnston, Gun Owners of America Director of Federal Affairs.“With all 50 states now issuing concealed carry permits, 49 states allowing nonresident carry, and 29 states with permitless or Constitutional Carry, it is simply common sense for Congress to ensure that each state’s concealed carry license is valid in every other state. We thank President Trump for his leadership on this issue and urge Congress to swiftly send Rep. Hudson’s Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act to the President’s desk to be signed.”

“On behalf of the USCCA’s more than 850,000 members nationwide, we applaud Congressman Hudson’s continued leadership in defending the rights of responsibly-armed Americans,” said Tim Schmidt, President and Co-Founder of U.S. Concealed Carry Association. “Our Constitutional rights do not end at state lines. This legislation is critical to ensuring law-abiding gun owners’ fundamental right to defend themselves and their loved ones regardless of geography or location. The USCCA remains committed to seeing H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, one of the most consequential reforms for gun owners nationwide, signed into law.”

National Shooting Sports Foundation Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence Keane said, “This legislation eliminates the confusing patchwork of laws surrounding concealed carry permits that vary from state-to-state, particularly with regard to states where laws make unwitting criminals out of legal permit holders for a simple mistake of a wrong traffic turn. It safeguards a state’s right to determine their own laws while protecting the Second Amendment rights of all Americans. We thank Rep. Hudson for his leadership on behalf of America’s hunters and recreational shooters.”