Currently, it’s illegal to carry a loaded weapon within the boundaries of most national parks. The law was put into place to prevent the poaching of wildlife and increase visitor safety, but a new amendment introduced in the Senate by Senator Tom Coburn from Oklahoma would prohibit the Secretary of Interior from enforcing the long-standing regulations within the National Park System.
Many fear the new amendment would increase the number of poaching cases within park units while making it more difficult for park rangers to investigate such illegal acts. Some question whether there is any substantive reason for a gun owner to carry a loaded gun within a national park that does not allow hunting, and therefore see no reason for the new amendment.
For more information: www.npsretirees.org
