Press Releases

Today, Reps. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA) held a press conference to discuss the recent announcement that the Commonwealth of Virginia will end reciprocity agreements and stop recognizing concealed carry gun permits from 25 states, including Tennessee. The announcement was made on December 22, 2015 by Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.  

Rep. Roe released the following statement:

“This announcement is confusing and unworkable for law-abiding Tennesseans, and I’m pleased the state of Tennessee still allows Virginians to exercise their second amendment rights in our state. I thank Congressman Griffith for working with me to raise awareness of the impact this decision will have on Tennesseans, especially the concealed carry permit holders who frequently cross the state line, and I will continue to oppose this misguided, foolish announcement.”

Rep. Griffith released the following statement:

“The Attorney General’s decision to no longer recognize out-of-state concealed carry permits has a significant impact on countless residents of my district as well as many living in neighboring Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky, all of which are among the states impacted by this recent announcement. Folks in these areas cross state lines regularly for professional and personal reasons, and this misguided decision which appears to be arbitrary and capricious will regrettably leave concealed carry permit holders from other states without the ability to protect themselves or others from harm.”

“Another of the problems with the Attorney General’s unilateral decision is that it creates chaos for people who live near the Virginia border. For example, if you are a law-abiding concealed weapon permit holder in Tennessee and you just want to go around the block in downtown Bristol, the Attorney General’s actions may make you an inadvertent criminal. This will create a burden for concealed weapon permit holders from other states including Tennessee, and I fear that some may choose not to do business in Virginia because of the fear of accidentally forgetting to display their weapon openly.”

“I appreciate Congressman Roe’s efforts to call attention to this matter, and strongly believe the rights of law-abiding gun owners ought to be restored.”