Congressman John Boozman

Congressman John Boozman of Arkansas has been named the CCRKBA Gun Rights Defender of the Month for November.

In announcing Rep. Boozman’s nomination, John M. Snyder, CCRKBA Public Affairs Director, noted that, “this Congressman throughout his time here in Washington, D.C. has been a stalwart defender of and articulate promoter of legislation supportive of the individual Second Amendment right of law-abiding American citizens to keep and bear arms. Because of his public record and outstanding leadership in the battle to preserve and protect our traditional rights, Rep. Boozman is most deserving of the CCRKBA Gun Rights Defender of the Month Award.

“Right now, as we write these words, he is running as a nominated candidate for the United States Senate from his nicknamed Natural State. The outcome of that election will not be known until just before readers receive this issue of Point Blank. Whatever the outcome of that contest, however, we know that Congressman Boozman expects to be serving in the United States House of Representatives through the remaining months of the current Congress. In that capacity, he most likely will be using his considerable legislative skills to help thwart any attempts made by extremist anti-gun Representatives to foist more onerous burdens on the gun rights of law-abiding Americans.”

In the current Congress, Rep. Boozman is the chief sponsor of H.R. 1620, the proposed Secure Access to Firearms Enhancement (SAFE) Act of 2009.

This bill, lying in the House Judiciary Committee under the anti-gun chairmanship of Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, would provide for most welcome reciprocity in regard to the manner in which nonresidents of a State may carry certain concealed firearms in that State.

It would provide that, notwithstanding any provision of the law of any State or political subdivision of the State, a person who is not prohibited by federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm, and is carrying a valid license or permit which is issued pursuant to the law of any State and which permits the person to carry a concealed firearm, may carry in any State a concealed firearm in accordance with the terms of the license or permit, subject to the laws of the State in which the firearm is carried concerning specific types of locations in which firearms may not be carried.

Furthermore, SAFE would provide that a person who is not prohibited by federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping or receiving a firearm, and is otherwise than as described in the above paragraph entitled to carry a concealed firearm in and pursuant to the law of the State in which he or she resides, may carry in any State a concealed firearm in accordance with the laws of the State in which the person resides, subject to the laws of the State in which the firearm is carried concerning specific types of locations in which firearms may not be carried.

In addition to his fight for the proposed SAFE Act, which Congressman Boozman says would allow “law-abiding citizens who can legally carry guns in their home state to carry all across the country,” he reports he cosponsored “H.R. 197, the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009 which amends the federal criminal code to establish a national standard for carrying a concealed firearm.”

He also notes he is “a cosponsor of H.R. 17, the Citizen’s Self-Defense Act of 2009 which declares that a person who is not prohibited under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act from receiving a firearm shall have the right to obtain firearms for security and to use firearms in defense of self, family, or home, and for providing the enforcement of such right.”

Congressman Boozman states that, “While we must provide the law enforcement community the tools necessary to combat society’s criminal element, we must also ensure the rights and freedoms of law-abiding citizens are not infringed upon. Sportsmen, hunters, gun enthusiasts and citizens concerned for their personal safety have a right to own guns for these legitimate purposes, and I am committed to fighting for these rights.”

Currently, Rep. Boozman, a successful businessman and life-long resident of Arkansas, is in his fifth term representing his constituents.

Boozman played football for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks while completing his pre-optometry requirements. He graduated from the Southern College of Optometry in 1977 and entered private practice as co-founder of Boozman-Hof Regional Eye Clinic in Rogers, Arkansas.

He is married to the former Cathy Marley. The couple has three daughters.