House Set To Ease Gun Restrictions

The House will vote later today on a measure that would allow concealed gun holders to travel with their firearms across most state lines.

The National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act would “provide a national standard in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may carry concealed firearms in the State.”

As the Daily Caller reports:

“The legislation would allow those with permits to carry a concealed handgun in any state where concealed carry is not restricted. Forty nine states currently allow some form of concealed carry.”

The measure is expected to pass the GOP-led House. Interestingly, Senate Democrats are pushing legislation today that would fix errors in the federal background check system. The bill is aimed at keeping weapons out of the hands of drug abusers and those who are mentally ill.

Perry Calls On Congress To Criminalize Insider Trading

Following a 60 Minutes report alleging that lawmakers have benefited financially from using privileged information from the industry’s the regulate, Presidential hopeful Rick Perry is pushing to outlaw insider trading among members of Congress.

“Any Congressman or Senator who uses their insider knowledge to profit the stock Market ought to be sent to jail,” Perry said in a campaign video released online Monday. “Congress ought to pass a law that says so right now.”

The 60 Minutes segment specifically named House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), the chairman of the Financial Services Committee.

In a campaign speech in Iowa, Perry took the message even further, saying that Washington’s culture needs a “complete overhaul,” including slashing Congressional salaries by half, limiting Supreme Court appointments to 18 years and mandating a balanced budget.

Boehner: House Will Approve Super Committee Plan

By Mike Hothi

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio ) said Tuesday that the so-called “super committee” has done “good work,” but “there isn’t an agreement.”

The bipartisan deficit reduction panel must propose a $1.3 trillion plan by Thanksgiving to avoid automatic cuts to the budget.

Boehner told reporters that he’s confident House Republicans will support a deal if there is one.

“I’m convinced if in fact there is an agreement, that it can in fact pass.”

Boehner also said that he expects his chamber to pass a pair of jobs bills in the coming days. A measure to strike a law requiring the federal government to withhold three percent of payments to contractors and a bill to provide tax credits to businesses that hire returning vets have already cleared the Senate.

“We will pass them this week and send them to the President for a signature,” Boehner said.

Education Secretary Angered By Penn State Scandal

U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Tuesday morning that he was “extraordinarily angry” over the sex abuse scandal involving former Penn State University football coach Jerry Sandusky.

Duncan told a Washington Times radio affiliate this morning that his department has a “legal obligation” to investigate whether school officials attempted to cover up alleged sex crimes committed by Sandusky over the last several years.

Sandusky, who retired from his position as defensive coordinator of the football team in 1999, was arrested ten days ago and charged with 40 counts relating to sexual abuse of minors, after being indicted by a grand jury. The allegations have rocked Penn State and have led to the ousting of the school’s president as well as Sandusky’s former boss, legendary head coach Joe Paterno. An assistant coach who told the grand jury that he witnessed Sandusky raping a young boy nine years ago in a school shower facility has been placed on administrative leave.

As was previously reported on this site, DOE will be looking into whether school officials violated the Clery Act, a 1990 law that requires all state colleges and universities to go public with reported crimes that occur on campus.

“If [Penn State] was not forthcoming with criminal activity, there will be a price to pay,” Duncan said.

New Registration Laws A Deliberate Attack On Voters' Rights, Say Dems

By Adrianna McGinley

Democratic House members held a forum Monday denouncing states that have passed legislation that tighten voter registration laws, saying the move is a clear and deliberate attack on traditionally disenfranchised communities.

“We know that voter suppression has been taking place, is being taken place, and is planned,” said House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

Hoyer cast doubt on supporters’ claims that fighting fraud is the objective of the new laws. 

“Americans believe there is an epidemic of voter fraud…but if you ask them when was the last instance of voter fraud in your community…they would be hard pressed to come up with an example,” Hoyer said. “The evidence we do have points to a political agenda on the part of those who are crafting these new rules. The right to vote should and must not depend on the politics of the day but on eligibility.”

Several lawmakers noted that the new laws carry a racial dimension.

“All of these policies are statistically proven to impact people of color disproportionately, while claims have been made that these laws are designed to eliminate voter fraud,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.). “I firmly believe that these laws will do the worst thing that can be done in a democracy: discourage citizens from voting.”

On the Texas law making a concealed weapon registration card a valid form of identification, but a student ID not valid, Cleaver added, “You would have to be a very mean spirited, ideologically warped person to believe that this is right and that this is fair.” 

Advocates appeared at the forum as well to share stories of cases where the elderly, minorities, veterans, and youth have been deterred from voting because of the new laws.

Lee and Phyllis Campbell, an elderly couple from Smyrna, Tenn., recounted their difficulty in obtaining proper photo identification cards required under new Tennessee law and said they know others who say they will no longer vote because of the new requirements.