Dozens of House members oppose Democratic bid to ban lawmakers from carrying guns at Capitol

Dozens of people elected to the House wrote to leadership asking them to reject an effort by Democrats to ban lawmakers from carrying guns on Capitol Hill.

Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert of Colorado leads a letter, signed by 82 fellow members and representatives-elect, that was sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Friday.

“I refuse to give up my Second Amendment rights," Boebert said. "I’m a 5-foot tall, 100-pound mom with four children and will be walking to work and serving in one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. I choose to defend my family and my life with all of the force the Constitution provides. I will not let a bunch of gun-grabbing House Democrats take away my Constitutional right to protect myself."

A group of 21 Democrats, led by Rep. Jared Huffman of California, wrote to House leadership two weeks ago asking them to include “a provision in the Rules package directing the Capitol Police Board to ensure that Member[s] of Congress may not possess firearms on Capitol grounds.” The Democrats raised concerns about a "lack of uniformity and procedure" surrounding members carrying firearms, which they said could unwittingly put people in danger.

The House is expected to take up the House Rules Package next week, and Boebert and her allies insisted that the current regulations, which ban members of the public from carrying firearms but allow lawmakers to carry, have protected members and their Second Amendment rights since 1967. They also noted the "violent crime problem" in Washington, D.C., and "a history of violent attacks" on members and Capitol Police, naming, for instance, the 2017 congressional baseball practice shooting where Rep. Steve Scalise and others were injured.

"Protecting the safety and lives of Members of Congress is of the utmost concern and isn’t a partisan issue. We ask that you stand with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle that support the lawful and current Capitol Police Board regulations that have existed for more than half a century," their letter said.

Pelosi, who is poised to retain her role as speaker, albeit with a smaller Democratic majority in the new session, has expressed willingness to consider reviewing the regulations in the past. But details on the rules package for the 117th Congress she released on Friday along with Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern made no mention of firearms.

Boebert, the owner of a gun-themed restaurant called Shooters Grill in Rifle, Colorado, where wait staff open carry firearms as they serve customers, won her election contest against Diane Mitsch Bush, a Democratic member of the Colorado House, to represent the state's 3rd Congressional District. This was after Boebert pulled off an upset victory in the GOP primary over incumbent Rep. Scott Tipton.

Boebert was joined by high-profile Republicans who signed off on the letter, including Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas, and Rep.-elect Marjorie Greene of Florida.