BELLEVUE, WA – Passage of H.R. 8 today by the U.S. House of Representatives confirms that extremist gun control is more important to the anti-gun leadership than making meaningful efforts to reduce violent crime, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said.

“Eroding the rights of law-abiding citizens and treating them as criminals is not going to prevent a single violent crime,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “Passing this legislation, which President Donald Trump said he would veto, amounts to little more than a publicity stunt to appease the gun prohibition lobby. It’s all flash and no substance.”

The bill passed on a vote of 240-190. Gottlieb said he is disappointed that supporters of the bill believe this will make any difference in efforts to fight crime.

“Adding layers of paperwork to the exercise of a constitutionally-protected fundamental right accomplishes nothing,” he stated. “It seems more designed to discourage honest citizens from exercising their rights than preventing a single crime. We will encourage our members and supporters to contact their U.S. Senators about H.R. 8.

“What the House should be doing, if they really care about fighting crime, is passing National Concealed Carry Reciprocity legislation,” Gottlieb observed. “That legislation would empower law-abiding citizens with the means to defend themselves and their families from dangerous criminals, no matter where they travel across this great country.”