Daines Urges Passage of Semper Fi Act to Allow Military Officers to Carry Arms at Recruitment Centers

Montana Senator Steve Daines and California Congressman Duncan Hunter have been out on the media circuit this week, discussing their new "Semper Fi Act" a bill that would allow military officers and non-commissioned officers the ability to carry a firearm at military recruitment centers.

Daines discussed the dangers of the current situation in light of the shootings in Chattanooga with CNN Anchor Alison Camerlota on Tuesday, July 21.

"Remember this was a gun free zone," Daines said. "There were signs that said this was a gun free zone. These are very soft targets that somebody who is premeditated in an attack like this that they are going into a gun free zone. So let's just ensure that the men and women who serve in the military have all the tools to protect and defend themselves. Let's keep our military safe."

Daines went on to highlight the different level of trust placed in Military personnel overseas compared to home.

"We must ensure we do all we can to protect and defend the members of our service," Daines said. "Think about this, they serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, some of these members who lost their lives last week. They are able to defend themselves on foreign soil, yet when on their home soil they don’t have all the resources necessary to defend themselves.”

The reason officers can't currently carry weapons at recruitng centers is because of a Department of Defense Directive issued in 1992, during the George H.W. Bush administration.