Corps of Engineers Proposes Rule to Remove Federal Infringements on Second Amendment from COE Lands

For decades, the Corps of Engineers (COE) has infringed on the Second Amendment rights of people in the United States, by limiting the bearing of arms on Corps managed lands and waters. In the last decade, lawsuits have challenged these infringements. The Corps lost one, appealed, and appealed another. After the election of President Trump, the Corps agreed to settle the lawsuits in March of 2017. The proposed rule simply aligns the Corps of Engineers rules with existing law on other government managed lands and waters. 

Conformity with state and local laws has been the law for National Parks for a decade. It has been an enormous success.  At the link, there is a button to access the site to submit a comment. It is on the upper right of the screen,in a rectangular blue box, with white letters which say "Comment Now". Clicking on the button takes you to the page to fill out your comment. Your personal information for contact will not be displayed, unless you put it in the comment itself.

Here is the official summary of the proposed rule. From regulations.gov:

Proposed rule.

Summary

The Department of the Army, through the United States Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”), is soliciting comments on its proposed revision of its regulation that governs the possession and transportation of firearms and other weapons at Corps water resources development projects (“projects”). This proposed revision would align the Corps regulation with the regulations of the other Federal land management agencies by removing the need for an individual to obtain written permission before possessing a weapon on Corps projects.

Dates

Written comments must be submitted on or before June 12, 2020.
Addresses

You may submit comments, identified by docket number COE-2018-0008, by any of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Email: Firearms@usace.army.mil. Include the docket number, COE-2018-0008, in the subject line of the message.

Mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CECW-CO-N, Steve Austin 3F68, 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20314-1000.

Hand Delivery/Courier: Due to security requirements, the Corps cannot receive comments by hand delivery or courier.

Here is the comment I submitted. You are limited to 5,000 characters.  Most comments are simple and are simply counted as for or against. Of the extisting comments, about 97% were in favor of the rule removing the infringements.

I support this rule change. It is long overdue. The Corps is required to make this change by existing law and court settlements.

This change brings the Corps into alignment with existing law in other federal government managed lands.

It removes an untenable burden from unarmed rangers.

Massive benefits come with this rule change.

People will see the Corps must follow the rule of law, raising the public image of the Corps.

Crime will be decreased on Corps lands.

The ability to exercise the right to keep and bear arms will be partially restored. No government agency should routinely violate citizens fundamental rights, as the Corps has done for several decades.

In the next 55 days, there will be tens of thousands of comments. The vast majority should be in favor of the rule; however, groups such as the Center for Biological Diversity, the Everytown campaign, Giffords, Brady, Bloomberg, and others are likely to gin up support against this common sense restoration of the right to bear arms.

In 55 days we will know how the proportions of Second Amendment supporters and those who wish for a disarmed public will play out.

Commenting is very easy, and can consist of a few words, such as "I support this rule change."

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch