Republicans are supposed to be pro-gun. Not only is that how Democrats paint them, but it’s how Republican lawmakers paint themselves. After all, the Second Amendment is a sacred right and must be defended.

Following the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise at the hands of a deranged liberal terrorist, Rep. Thomas Massie introduced a bill for national reciprocity. This bill would make it so concealed carry license would be treated like marriage licenses or drivers licenses; a permit in one state would be recognized in every other state.

The bill, however, has stalled, and Massie points the finger for this squarely at Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

Speaker Paul Ryan will not allow Congressional action on national concealed carry reciprocity to move bills forward, Rep. Thomas Massie told host Mark Walters Thursday on Armed American Radio.  The reason given is Ryan thinks the timing isn’t right to consider H.R. 2909, the D.C. Personal Protection Reciprocity Act, a supplement to state reciprocity provisions of H.R. 38.

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“We’ve got over 80 cosponsors at this point,” Massie told Walters when asked the status of his bill, which is currently and procedurally in the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform because Congress has oversight responsibility for Washington D.C. He’s “pressing for a hearing on it.”

“Why haven’t we seen movement over either 38 or 2909 since the horrific events in Virginia?” Walters asked, noting the Republicans control the House and the Senate and both Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appear to be blocking bills advancing the right to keep and bear arms.

“You know what?” Massie replied, “The Speaker told me he didn’t think the timing was right. And I think this is the exact timing to bring this bill.”

I’m forced to agree with Massie. This is exactly the right time. The GOP has control of both chambers of Congress and the White House. That may not necessarily be the case in after the midterms.

Unless Ryan is thinking the right time is just a couple months away, he’s wasting this opportunity to strike a meaningful blow for the Second Amendment. Assuming, of course, what Massie says is accurate.

Yet, despite this, he’s likely to maintain his pro-2A credentials. After all, those good grades from pro-gun organizations are typically dependant on how they vote on Second Amendment-related legislation. Vote against gun control bills when they spring up, vote in favor of repealing gun control laws, maybe propose a few pro-gun bills, and you get a good grade from the gun groups.

In fairness, that’s all they have to go on. The backroom deals are, by definition, out of the limelight and hard to quantify. As it stands, all we have is Thomas Massie’s word for what’s transpiring, which means groups like the NRA may be hesitant to base any part of their grading on such claims.

However, none of that really matters. National reciprocity, as well as other pro-gun legislation, needs to move forward, get passed, then signed by President Trump.

Frankly, I’d be delighted to hear just how the timing could be any better.