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Washington, D.C. – The following is U.S. Rep. Don Young’s (R-Alaska) statement on the Interior Departments decision to finalized updated regulations governing the possession of firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges.

The final rule, which updates existing regulations, would allow an individual to carry a concealed weapon in national parks and wildlife refuges if, and only if, the individual is authorized to carry a concealed weapon under state law in the state in which the national park or refuge is located.

            Young is the Ranking Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee which has jurisdiction over national parks and wildlife refuges.

“I strongly support the decision of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to honor states’ ‘right to carry’ gun laws in national parks and federal wildlife refuges.

“This has long been the policy on BLM and Forest Service land and it is past due for the other federal land managing agencies to adopt consistent federal policies.

“While this is a positive step forward, we have to remain vigilant because there are many people in Congress and the incoming Administration who strongly oppose our Second Amendment rights.”