The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now the outlier.
While most federal land agencies allow lawful firearm carry consistent with state law, USACE continues to enforce a broad prohibition.
Now, more than two dozen lawmakers are pushing to change that.
On April 17, the lawmakers sent a letter to Driscoll explaining the problem and proposing an immediate solution.
“We are writing to ask that you instruct the United States Army Corps of Engineers (‘USACE’) to immediately finalize and implement a long-proposed revision to USACE regulations governing the possession, transportation, and carrying of firearms and other weapons on USACE land,” the lawmakers wrote. “Public lands in the United States form a complex, web-like environment, often spanning multiple agencies and jurisdictions, and without clear boundaries. Hikers on trails like the Appalachian Trail, boaters on shared waterways, or campers near federal borders frequently cross multiple times from one agency’s domain to another, unbeknownst to them. And while most federal agencies respect the lawful exercise of Second Amendment rights on their managed lands, it is a different story for USACE-managed lands.”
As the letter explained, lawmakers for years have tried to put an end to the gun ban on USACE properties, but were scuttled by the Obama Administration and the Biden Administration.
“Finalizing this rule now would rectify this inconsistency and uphold the Second Amendment rights of Americans on USACE lands,” the lawmakers wrote. “Many constituents in our districts enjoy recreational activities on Corps-managed land and have reached out to express concerns over this restriction. These individuals fish on Corps-managed waterways but are unable to lawfully carry a firearm for self-defense purposes. These are often remote, rural areas with no law-enforcement presence to deter or prosecute crime. Additionally, threats from wildlife are very real in these areas. An individual who is lawfully carrying a firearm should not be forced to disarm simply because they crossed an invisible federal line.”
Many of these areas are remote, with limited law enforcement presence, leading to increased reliance on personal self-defense.
In the letter, the lawmakers asked Driscoll to answer two questions: What is the current status of the proposed rule COE-2018-0008? And, given that the USACE is the only major federal land management agency that still maintains a general prohibition on the lawful carry of firearms, does the Department consider regulatory alignment with the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management to be a priority?
Ultimately, lawmakers are seeking to get USACE back on track to end the ban.
“Finalizing the proposed USACE rule would promote clarity and uniformity by standardizing federal policy for the lawful possession of firearms, consistent with applicable state law,” the letter concluded. “We respectfully request the Corps finalize the promulgation and implementation of this proposed rule. This action would safeguard Second Amendment rights for millions and ensure federal lands remain accessible and safe for all law-abiding Americans who carry firearms for self-defense. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. We look forward to your response.”
For now, USACE remains the exception.
Whether that changes will depend on whether the Army chooses to finally act on a rule that has been sitting unresolved for years.
That would be really cool if I could pack I’m at Lake Cumberland this summer. My friend has some property down there but his backyard turns into Corps land somewhere before you get to the treeline.
But, but, but, allowing lawful carry of firearms for self-defense means tacitly admitting that there are predators (of both the 2-legged and 4-legged variety) in the world. We can’t have that. Better to ban effective self-defense. (Said while curled up in the fetal position on a chair rocking one’s self.)
Back when I lived in North Mississippi I remember hearing some story about a guy that caught federal charges for having a gun in his car after being pulled over to speeding around Sardis Lake. I remember everyone being kind of surprised given that no one seem to know that was a law.
It’s almost as if lawmakers consider the United States Army Corps of Engineers to be under their direction. Based on a casual sampling of current MSM, I thought federal government agencies were allowed to make up their own rules and then enforce those rules as long as it impacted mainstream Americans. We are allowed to protest and destroy private property unless some intersectionally disadvantaged person is impacted.
We have strayed so far from “shall not be infringed.”
“And while most federal agencies respect the lawful exercise of Second Amendment rights…”
Amendment II DOES NOT and CAN NOT confer rights. We do NOT exercise rights under the Amendment(s), or the Constitution, or the Declaration. We organize governments to PROTECT RIGHTS.
Get the word out and STOP REFERRING to rights as exercised /under anything/!
The forum authors (mostly) don’t understand that simple and fundamental fact.
Our lawmakers (mostly) don’t understand that simple and fundamental fact.
Our judicial system (mostly) doesn’t understand that simple and fundamental fact.
The supreme Court doesn’t understand that simple and fundamental fact.
Most citizens *of the world* don’t understand that simple and fundamental fact.
Correct your ways, understand the principle, or subject yourself to tyranny.
PS: have a nice day, and I’m headed back into my hole.
Who are the Representatives who signed the letter. The link to the letter doesn’t give a clue. The article doesn’t contain that information either. I’d like to know what my Representative is doing, or not doing, so I can compliment him – or chastise him.
Ed