House panel clears conceal-and-carry gun bill, with one Republican defection.

The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved a gun rights bill that could be headed to the floor by the end of 2011.


The legislation, which would allow for conceal-and-carry weapon reciprocity across states lines, cleared the panel on a 19-11 vote. 


All but one committee Republican, Rep. Dan Lungren (Calif.), supported the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, which is sponsored by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.); Democrats united in opposition to the bill. Lungren and other Republicans have raised concerns about the legislation’s effect on the rights of states. 
GOP leadership sources told The Hill that the bipartisan measure, with 245 co-sponsors, will likely come up for a vote on the floor before year’s end. 

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