Senate votes to allow guns on Amtrak

[TxD]

Good news for folks that ride trains.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/nation ... i_13349373" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
WASHINGTON — The Senate voted today to permit passengers on the Amtrak passenger railroad to transport handguns in their checked baggage.

The proposal, approved by a 68-30 vote, seeks to give Amtrak riders rights comparable to those enjoyed by airline passengers, who are permitted to transport firearms provided that they declare they are doing so and that the arms are unloaded and in a securely locked container.

"Americans should not have their second amendment rights restricted for any reason, particularly if they choose to travel on America's federally subsidized rail line," said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who made the proposal.

Wicker's amendment would deny the money-losing railroad its $1.6 billion taxpayer subsidy unless it changes the gun policy.

Current Amtrak policy, put in place after the bombings of passenger trains in Madrid five years ago, prohibits weapons, including firearms, from being carried on its trains.

Prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Amtrak permitted firearms to be carried on its trains so long as they were separately secured in locked baggage or carrying cases. But it added restrictions on carrying weapons after 9/11 and imposed a total ban on all weapons after the Madrid bombings.

Opponents of changing the policy back, such as Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., say it would be too costly and burdensome to return to the old policy. Durbin said that "Amtrak doesn't have the security infrastructure, the processes or the trained personnel in place to ensure that checked firearms would not be lost, damaged, stolen or misused."

The chief author of the underlying transportation appropriations bill, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said implementing the policy would be too costly.

"Amtrak would have six months to build a process for checking and tracking firearms. It would have to find the manpower necessary to screen and guard firearms and it would have to purchase the equipment necessary," Murray said. "If they do not comply, Amtrak will shut down."

Today's vote was the latest in a string of victories for gun rights activists in the Senate despite Democrats' sizable majority. Some 27 Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, voted for the amendment, many from western or southern states. Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who aligns with Democrats and is one of the chamber's most liberal members, also voted on the pro-gun rights side.

The legislation still must be reconciled with a House-passed measure than does not contain the gun rights provision.

[joe817]

Great news. Thanks for posting TxD!. Half way there. What is the Rep/Dem ratio in Congress now days?

[garcia946]

Things happening for the good theses days....

[mr.72]

it would have never occurred to me that guns were not allowed on an Amtrak train in the first place

[A-R]

I know nothing about Amtrak or train travel in general, but let's say you're traveling from Texas to Phoenix, AZ (is there even such a route?). If traveling by car, you're OK to carry in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona with a Texas CHL. What's to stop you from carrying on Amtrak? Are there security screenings like at airports?

[gemini]

it would have never occurred to me that guns were not allowed on an Amtrak train in the first place

My thoughts exactly.

[mr.72]

I know nothing about Amtrak or train travel in general, but let's say you're traveling from Texas to Phoenix, AZ (is there even such a route?). If traveling by car, you're OK to carry in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona with a Texas CHL. What's to stop you from carrying on Amtrak? Are there security screenings like at airports?

I don't know.

We traveled from Philadelphia to NYC on Amtrak, and I left the guns back at the hotel in philly because I knew it was no-go in NYC but if I was going from, say, from Philly to Pittsburgh I would have carried right onto the train without even thinking about it. Or what about Austin to San Antonio? Again I would not have even thought about disarming for the trip (although it takes twice as long as the same trip by car). I don't recall a security screening like there is with a flight, or checking baggage, when I did the NYC route.

[Excaliber]

Good news for folks that ride trains.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/nation ... i_13349373" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
WASHINGTON — The Senate voted today to permit passengers on the Amtrak passenger railroad to transport handguns in their checked baggage.

The proposal, approved by a 68-30 vote, seeks to give Amtrak riders rights comparable to those enjoyed by airline passengers, who are permitted to transport firearms provided that they declare they are doing so and that the arms are unloaded and in a securely locked container.

"Americans should not have their second amendment rights restricted for any reason, particularly if they choose to travel on America's federally subsidized rail line," said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who made the proposal.

Wicker's amendment would deny the money-losing railroad its $1.6 billion taxpayer subsidy unless it changes the gun policy.

Current Amtrak policy, put in place after the bombings of passenger trains in Madrid five years ago, prohibits weapons, including firearms, from being carried on its trains.

Prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Amtrak permitted firearms to be carried on its trains so long as they were separately secured in locked baggage or carrying cases. But it added restrictions on carrying weapons after 9/11 and imposed a total ban on all weapons after the Madrid bombings.

Opponents of changing the policy back, such as Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., say it would be too costly and burdensome to return to the old policy. Durbin said that "Amtrak doesn't have the security infrastructure, the processes or the trained personnel in place to ensure that checked firearms would not be lost, damaged, stolen or misused."

The chief author of the underlying transportation appropriations bill, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said implementing the policy would be too costly.

"Amtrak would have six months to build a process for checking and tracking firearms. It would have to find the manpower necessary to screen and guard firearms and it would have to purchase the equipment necessary," Murray said. "If they do not comply, Amtrak will shut down."

Today's vote was the latest in a string of victories for gun rights activists in the Senate despite Democrats' sizable majority. Some 27 Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, voted for the amendment, many from western or southern states. Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who aligns with Democrats and is one of the chamber's most liberal members, also voted on the pro-gun rights side.

The legislation still must be reconciled with a House-passed measure than does not contain the gun rights provision.

The simple solution to the cost issue is to allow passengers with CHL's or LEO or LEOSA credentials who are legal to carry at both ends of the trip to carry on the trains.

[joe817]

The simple solution to the cost issue is to allow passengers with CHL's or LEO or LEOSA credentials who are legal to carry at both ends of the trip to carry on the trains.

I totally agree.

But that therein lies the problem.....it's a "simple solution", and I don't think lawmakers have that term in their vocabulary, and they would go into cerebral hemorrhage trying to define that complex term.

[bridge]

I know nothing about Amtrak or train travel in general, but let's say you're traveling from Texas to Phoenix, AZ (is there even such a route?).

Not anymore...the Mexican drug cartels kept robbing it because they knew there were no armed passengers

[one eyed fatman]

The proposal, approved by a 68-30 vote, seeks to give Amtrak riders rights comparable to those enjoyed by airline passengers, who are permitted to transport firearms provided that they declare they are doing so and that the arms are unloaded and in a securely locked container.

"Americans should not have their second amendment rights restricted for any reason, particularly if they choose to travel on America's federally subsidized rail line," said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who made the proposal.

Anytime your required to disarm your rights have been restricted.

Americans should not have their second amendment rights restricted for any reason

Let me say this again, Anytime your required to disarm your rights have been restricted.

If they make you disarm, unload, lock it up and ship it where you can't get to it in a time of emergency your rights have been restricted.

[jimlongley]

I know nothing about Amtrak or train travel in general, but let's say you're traveling from Texas to Phoenix, AZ (is there even such a route?). If traveling by car, you're OK to carry in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona with a Texas CHL. What's to stop you from carrying on Amtrak? Are there security screenings like at airports?

Not from TX to Phoenix, but you could get to Tucson. The Sunset Limited used to go all the way from FL to CA, but with the rail problems in MS and AL, the only way to do that trip now is via Chicago. You could go from New Orleans to Tucson and stay in CHL friendly states.

[TxDrifter]

Of course Bloomberg is up in arms about it:

This has nothing to do with the right to bear arms, and everything to do with keeping our country safe from terrorists

... because everyday citizens, that carry daily (just not in your city) are incapable of protecting themselves and others?

Read the rest here:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/09 ... mtrak.html