The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee met yesterday to tackle an important bill that probably won’t get too much attention: a wide-ranging postal reform package. It’ll tackle several key areas of postal policy, including postage rates, post-office banking, pensions for USPS employees, etc.
But during the hearing, Sen. Rand Paul had a new postal provision he’s apparently excited about. The Kentucky Republican wants to include a provision in postal reform that would “remove a federal ban on guns in post offices.”
Paul said his gun rights amendment would allow licensed gun owners to carry weapons inside post offices, rather than having to unholster them and keep them in the car. Guns are banned in federal buildings, including post offices.
Yep, when it comes to postal reform, Paul’s priority is allowing more guns in post offices.
As Lisa Rein’s Washington Post report noted, the senator’s provision wasn’t added to the legislation — committee members said the idea “would require more study” — but some on the far-right nevertheless seem quite excited about the possibility.
Steve M. noted this week that the National Association for Gun Rights, which tends to see the NRA as too moderate, sent out a message to its supporters this week under a photo of Rand Paul:
I’ve got good news. This upcoming Wednesday the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is scheduled to take up a post office reform bill (S.1486).U.S. Senator Rand Paul is once again leading the pro-gun fight by proposing an amendment to eliminate the Post Office Gun Ban once and for all!But ending this gun ban won’t come easily. You see, several anti-gunners serve on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, and they’re preparing to fight tooth-and-nail against Senator Paul’s proposal.That means it’s up to pro-gun patriots like you to stand with Senator Paul by taking action right away.
The emphasis was in the original throughout.
It’s unclear whether Paul’s provision has a realistic shot of being added to the postal-reform bill, but don’t be too surprised if conservatives start making this a more high-profile priority.
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Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."