On Wednesday, July 22, by a margin of 58-39, a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate voted in favor of an amendment offered by Senators John Thune (R-SD) and David Vitter (R-LA) to provide interstate recognition of Right-to-Carry permits. The amendment to S.1390 -- the National Defense Authorization Act -- would acknowledge that the right to self-defense extends across state lines. Under this provision, individuals with carry permits from their home state, or who are otherwise allowed to carry a firearm in their home state, could carry in any other state that issues permits.




Despite the bipartisan majority of votes, the Thune-Vitter amendment did not pass because it fell just two votes short of the required 60 votes for approval. This 60-vote approval threshold was decided upon by a procedural agreement between Senate leaders. The agreement was, in part, used to avoid a filibuster and any hostile amendments to the Thune-Vitter amendment.