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Bill awaiting action by Senate Judiciary Committee, which includes Vermont Sen. Peter Welch
The killing of three children and a teacher at an Oregon elementary school Thursday, October 15, is renewing attention to federal legislation that would allow qualified active and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in school zones and other locations where guns are generally prohibited.
The LEOSA Reform Act of 2025, H.R. 2243, passed the U.S. House last year but has remained in the Senate Judiciary Committee since May 15, 2025. Vermont Democratic Sen. Peter Welch serves on the committee.
The renewed debate follows a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, where a 16-year-old boy armed with a long gun killed three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher. A 7-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher were hospitalized in critical condition.
The teenage suspect, whose name had not been released, was shot and killed by an armed community member who saw him enter the school, followed him inside and confronted him, according to Bend police.
The Bend school district does have School Resource Officers embedded in their schools. It is unclear whether one was present during the shooting.
Police said the suspect gained entry by shooting through locked doors. The first emergency call came at 12:59 PM, and officers arrived at 1:02 PM. By then, the suspect had been shot.
The incident has drawn attention to the potential role of armed citizens in stopping school shootings, although authorities have not established that the person who killed the Oregon suspect was an active or retired law enforcement officer.
Sponsored by Rep. Don Bacon, R-Nebraska, the legislation would expand the existing Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, which allows qualified active and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms across state lines.
Under the proposed changes, those officers could carry concealed firearms and ammunition, including magazines, in school zones, national parks, certain federal facilities open to the public, and state, local and private property open to the public. The bill would also allow states to reduce the frequency of firearms qualification requirements for retired officers.
The House approved the legislation May 14, 2025, by a vote of 229-193. All 215 Republicans voting supported the measure, along with 14 Democrats. Vermont Democratic Rep. Becca Balint voted against it.
Supporters argue that expanding concealed-carry rights for trained law enforcement professionals could provide additional protection during emergencies, particularly when police officers are not immediately available.
Opponents have raised concerns about expanding firearms access in sensitive locations, including schools, and the risks of introducing additional armed individuals into emergency situations.
The legislation has not received a Senate floor vote. Its most recent recorded action was referral to the Judiciary Committee on May 15, 2025.
Welch is one of the committee’s Democratic members. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa chairs the committee, which would have to consider the measure before it could advance through the usual legislative process.
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We protect banks, airports, musicians, politicians and sensitive manufacturing facilities with armed guards. But not our children? The anti-gunners are out of line by preventing this. Until there’s a better solution, this is the solution. Bad guys do not follow rules. Meet them at the gate.
Since the Columbine massacre, there was a push to have armed police in schools, and to not alarm the anti-gun folks and anti-police types, call them “resource officers”. After George Floyd overdosed and the whole BLM/hating on the police thing went down, the liberals wanted the police removed from schools as they were considered too “triggering” for the impressionable yoots, who they wanted to not trust police. The sad fact is that a uniformed officer in a school would be the first target of a violent nutcase who wishes to engage in the cowardly act of attacking school children. It is much more effective to repel such an attack by having responsible people in the school carrying concealed, so they dont present themselves as obvious targets. We can only hope that Sen. Welch understands this reality. An armed society is a polite society.