The U.S. House of Representatives has approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027.Â
The amendment was approved on July 21, 2026, and codifies a memorandum signed April 2, 2026, by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. That order directed installation commanders to review requests to carry privately owned firearms for personal protection with a presumption of approval.
Gun Owners of America posted the House action on July 24, 2026, on X:
🚨UPDATE🚨
The House passed an amendment 215-214, codifying @SecWar's order to allow concealed carry on military bases for soldiers and civilian employees. https://t.co/qZcvysonVF pic.twitter.com/ycYNHalm4y
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) July 24, 2026
The House Vote and Amendment Details
H.Amdt.253 to H.R.8800 was agreed to by recorded vote of 215-214 (Roll no. 265). The amendment establishes a presumption of approval for qualified DoD servicemembers and civilian employees seeking authorization from their facility commander to carry personal firearms on military installations.
Crank, who represents Colorado’s 5th District, offered the amendment as numbered 17 in Part A of House Report 119-755. GovTrack.us recorded the vote as 215 aye (212 Republicans and 3 Democrats) and 214 no (4 Republicans and 210 Democrats), with 8 members not voting.
The amendment does not automatically authorize personnel to carry firearms. It sets approval as the default when qualified service members and civilian employees submit requests to installation commanders.
Secretary Hegseth’s April Memorandum
On April 2, 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum directing military installation commanders to allow Department of War personnel—uniformed service members—to request to carry privately owned firearms while in a nonofficial duty capacity on Department of War property within the United States.
In a video also presented in April, Hegseth stated that “Before today, it was virtually impossible … for War Department personnel to get permission to carry and store their own personal weapons aligned with the state laws where we operate our installations. … Well, that’s no longer.” He continued that “The memo I’m signing today directs installation commanders to allow requests for personal protection—to carry a privately owned firearm—with the presumption that it is necessary for personal protection.”
Our military installations have been turned into gun-free zones—leaving our service members vulnerable and exposed.
That ends today. pic.twitter.com/IQ204YepZ0
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) April 2, 2026
Hegseth added that “Effectively, our bases across the country were gun-free zones. Unless you’re training or unless you are a military policeman, you couldn’t carry, you couldn’t bring your own firearm for your own personal protection onto post.”
The policy cites authority under section 526 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.
Prior Restrictions on Personal Firearms
Defense Department policy prior to the Hegseth memorandum prohibited military personnel from carrying personal weapons on base without permission from a senior commander and required strict storage protocols. Personnel typically checked out firearms from secure storage for approved uses such as hunting or ranges and returned them promptly. Outside of training, ranges, or military police duties, bases operated largely without privately owned firearms available for personal carry.
The restrictions originated under President George H.W. Bush. The 2016 National Defense Authorization Act provision allowed the Secretary to authorize carrying an appropriate firearm if a commander determined it necessary for personal or force protection, yet approvals remained rare in practice.
What the Changes Mean in Practice
Under the Hegseth memorandum and the House amendment, qualified servicemembers and civilian employees may request authorization to carry personal firearms for personal protection. Commanders must apply a presumption of approval. The process functions similarly to a shall-issue system: the default is yes unless a specific denial is issued.
The amendment applies to both uniformed personnel and civilian employees. The original memorandum focused on off-duty uniformed service members. Carry is for personal protection on installations within the United States.
Neither Hegseth’s April 2 memorandum nor the House amendment limits the authorization to concealed carry only. Both use the broader language of authorizing personnel to “carry” privately owned or personal firearms for personal protection.
The official texts do not explicitly authorize or prohibit open carry. Final rules on the manner of carry (concealed, open, or both) will be determined when the Undersecretary of War for Intelligence and Security updates War Department Manual 5200.08 and when individual installation commanders issue implementing guidance.
Existing Limits and Conditions
Requests remain subject to review by permitting officials. Any denial must be provided in writing and explain in detail an objective, clearly describable, and individualized basis, applying a dispassionate and common-sense standard based on applicable law and standards.
The memorandum does not authorize carry within the walls of buildings such as the Pentagon. For Pentagon personnel, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency must allow fair consideration of requests to store a privately owned firearm in a vehicle on the Pentagon Reservation under existing federal regulations. The undersecretary of war for intelligence and security is directed to update War Department Manual 5200.08 to implement the permitting process.
The amendment now advances as part of the broader National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, which still requires Senate consideration and final passage before becoming law.
Provided by Dallas Express
