Overview
- Rep. Pat Harrigan introduced the Special Operations Forces Concealed Carry Act to give active-duty and honorably discharged special operators federal authority to carry concealed firearms nationwide.
- The measure would amend 18 U.S.C. § 926C and follows the model of the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, which lets qualified retired police carry in all 50 states.
- The bill defines “qualified special operator” by rank and role, covering paygrades E5–E9, W1–W5, and O1–O10 across units such as Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Marine Raiders, and Air Force combat control and pararescue.
- Guardrails in the text include permanent eligibility without annual firearms requalification and a requirement that veterans present Department of Defense or Veterans Affairs photo identification.
- Supporters say the change would give trained operators consistent legal rules as they move or travel between states, while the bill itself has only been introduced with no committee action or votes reported.