{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/original-co-sponsor-rep-scott-desjarlais-votes-for-concealed-carry-bill", "ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES FOR CONCEALED CARRY BILL TO ENHANCE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS FOR TENNESSEANS", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Scott DesJarlais", "D000616", "desjarlais.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR REP. SCOTT DESJARLAIS VOTES FOR CONCEALED CARRY BILL TO ENHANCE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS FOR TENNESSEANS\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 \u00a0An original co-sponsor of the legislation, Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., voted today for the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill that would allow any Tennessean licensed to carry a concealed handgun in his home state, to carry it in another where concealed-carry is also legal, as long that person follows local law.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe right to self-defense is an unalienable one and the most important to protecting ourselves from harm,\u201d said Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04), \u201cas the Supreme Court has decided. Our Constitution guarantees that right \u2013 and also that states must respect our common laws.\u201d \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cToday\u2019s bill ensures Tennesseans who wish to exercise their Second Amendment rights will face no undue burden when traveling to gun-friendly states,\u201d he said. The Congressman is a strong Second Amendment supporter, as well as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, who after terror attacks at a recruitment center and military facility near Chattanooga in 2015, guided passage of a law allowing more service members to carry firearms on base.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He has voted to allow federal law enforcement officers to carry their firearms when on furlough, in case of a government shutdown, and endorsed other pro-Second Amendment solutions to self-defense. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act prevents criminals from abusing the law. The National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, and National Shooting Sports Foundation endorse the legislation.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The NRA awarded Rep. DesJarlais an \u201cA\u201d grade for his work to protect Americans\u2019 gun rights.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://desjarlais.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/original-co-sponsor-rep-scott-desjarlais-votes-for-concealed-carry-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6520980279892683, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}