The National Constitutional Carry Act (HR 9534) would remove permitting requirements for Americans to carry firearms nationwide. Most US states do not have permitting requirements to carry a gun. The bill will also remove the states’ and territories’ ability to prevent Americans who are not a prohibited person from carrying guns in public. Any regulations passed by the states to restrict one’s ability to carry a firearm would not have the force of law. Rep. Massie believes that an American shouldn’t have to seek a permission slip from the government to exercise an inalienable right.

“Today, I introduced HR 9534, the National Constitutional Carry Act,” Massie wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “No one should have to beg the government to exercise a constitutionally protected right anywhere in the country.”The bill’s text cites multiple court cases, all from the lawsuits that reached the Supreme Court. Starting back in 2008, it cites the language of Heller. Then, it covers SCOTUS’s opinion in MacDonald. The latest case cited is Bruen. Rep Massie uses these lawsuits to build his case that this proposed law is the right thing to do to stop the states from attacking American’s right to bear arms.

The bill has a tough fight in Congress. Right now, there is no companion bill in the Senate. Usually, for a bill to have a chance, there will be a companion bill in the other chamber of Congress. Republicans currently have control of the House of Representatives but are in the minority in the Senate. This minority status could mean the bill will most likely be tabled if it reaches the Senate. Even if it does get to the floor of the Senate for a vote, it is improbable it will pass because a supermajority is needed because of the filibuster.

There is a chance that Republicans will take the majority in the Senate and the House, but it is unlikely that they will be able to capture a supermajority to override a filibuster this bill will undoubtedly face. Currently, Joe Biden holds power in the White House. President Biden has been critical of court decisions such as the Supreme Court’s Bruen opinion. It is almost certain that the Senior Citizen in the White House would veto the bill if it reached his desk for a signature, and there is no chance of enough votes to override a veto.

If Donald Trump gets elected in the upcoming presidential election, there is a good chance he will sign the bill, but the chances of the bill reaching his desk are remote. If Kamala Harris wins, she will veto the bill. Vice President Harris has stated in an amicus brief filed in Heller that she doesn’t believe that there is an individual right to bear arms, although she seems now to be walking back those previous beliefs and claims she is a gun owner. Most gun owners do not believe her.

Although the chances of the bill passing are almost zero, Massie’s move to introduce the bill is significant. The goal of introducing bills with little to no chance of passing is to garner future support. The hope is that, eventually, the bill will have enough support to pass Congress, and hopefully, there will be a president in office willing to sign it into law.

Thomas Massie has been one of the strongest supporters of gun rights in Congress, and this bill is another example of the Congressman pushing to protect the constitutionally protected of Americans right to keep and bear arms.