Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.) says he still plans to pursue legislation that would make it illegal to bring a firearm within 1,000 feet of a member of Congress, despite opposition from GOP leadership. In fact, he claims to have the backing of most Republicans. The Hill reports:
King, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said that most Republicans agree with his proposed legislatio[n].
“Yes, I expect to go forward, and it’s not a disagreement I have with many people in the Republican Party,” King said on Fox News.
Both Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) have said they oppose King’s bill, which he proposed earlier this week following the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) at a constituent event.
King’s bill is one of several proposed by members of both parties in the wake of the assassination attempt against Giffords. On the Republican side, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) has proposed allowing members to carry guns in D.C. and on the floor of the House. On the Democratic side, Rep. Bob Brady (Pa.) wants to outlaw language or image that threatens lawmakers, and several other lawmakers have proposed restrictions on the kind of extended clips the alleged shooter used in the attack against Giffords.
King defended his bill in an interview with NRO’s Robert Costa, here.