Under Trump, A 2nd Amendment Coalition Looks To Push National Concealed-Carry Law

John Boch, executive director of gun rights group Guns Save Life, also co-chairs Trump's Second Amendment Coalition. He speaks with NPR's Ailsa Chang about his hopes for the next administration.

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Next, we're going to hear from someone who wants to see gun rights expanded in the next administration. John Boch is a co-chair of President-elect Trump's Second Amendment Coalition. He joins us on the line from his home in Bloomington, Ill. Thanks so much for being with us.

JOHN BOCH: Thanks for having me.

CHANG: So I understand you want to see a federal law on gun reciprocity, which means allowing people with concealed carry permits to cross state lines with their guns. Why is this a top issue for you?

BOCH: Well, it's a top issue for me because, as it is currently in America, there's a patchwork of laws across the land and you have to do a lot of research ahead of time to make sure that you're legal if you're carrying your concealed firearm across state lines. If we had national reciprocity, our concealed carry licenses would be recognized with full faith and credit just as our driver's licenses are to current Americas. And so we want to see that expanded to the concealed carry licenses as well across the nation so I can go to New York City or to Los Angeles and not have to do a mountain of research and maybe find out that my carry license is not recognized in one state versus another.

CHANG: Are there specific things that the Obama administration did that you would like to see undone?

BOCH: Basically, every executive order that Obama issued on firearms I would like to see rescinded. Frankly, I'd like to see a lot of executive orders that, you know, the two Bush presidents put forth relating to guns and Bill Clinton, I'd like to see those struck as well.

CHANG: How much has the Obama administration really encroached on gun rights? Because Congress never passed legislation to expand background checks to, say, gun shows and internet sales. That was the president's main goal. He didn't get that done.

BOCH: Well, let's back up a little bit. Transactions at gun shows are required to go through the same background checks that transactions at, say, your Dick's Sporting Goods store...

CHANG: Right.

BOCH: ...Are required to go...

CHANG: Transactions with federally licensed dealers, yes.

BOCH: Exactly. And internet sales, they're highly regulated just as if you went to the store to buy it. Now, private transactions, if you're talking about that, I don't see as the government's business that I sell a gun to my neighbor or my uncle. That, in my mind, is not government's business. And when people say universal background check, that really means a ban on private transfers. All transfers have to go through the government. And I don't like the idea that the government gets to keep a registry of who transfers guns to whom.

CHANG: So you are part of President-elect Trump's Second Amendment Coalition. What exactly is that? Do you feel like you really have Trump's ear?

BOCH: I don't know that I have President Trump's ear. I know that I've got Donald Trump Jr.'s ear, and I'm pretty sure that Donald Trump Jr.'s got a pretty inside line to the big guy himself. But the whole purpose of the Second Amendment Coalition team is to provide advice, recommendations, a direction to take gun laws and gun regulations and so forth for the new administration. You know, Donald Trump has a long reputation for surrounding himself with good people who are subject-matter experts to provide guidance. And I just believe that this is just another example of that, just as some of these nominees that he's put up for some of these Cabinet positions have been just simply outstanding individuals.

CHANG: John Boch is executive director of the gun rights advocacy group Guns Save Life. Thanks for joining us.

BOCH: Thanks for having me.

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