美國大多數的國家公園禁止個人攜帶裝有彈藥的槍枝入內，但布希政府目前正準備調整此存在已久的規定。雖然現任與已退休的國家公園職員強烈反對，認為如此的改變是危險且不必要的，美國內政部仍將在2個月內正式提案，鬆綁槍枝管制。
瑞斯(Doug Morris)是一名已退休的國家公園主管，且同時是美國國家公園退休員工聯盟的成員之一，他表示，「這項提案很糟，現存規則是可行的；無庸置疑的，國家公園長期以來就是美國最安全的地方。」
為了抑制盜獵行為，國家公園自1930年代開始實施槍枝管制。然而雷根政府在1983年時放鬆管制，允許遊客到國家公園與國家野生動物保護區時，可持有未裝有彈藥的槍枝，或以包裝、封存的方式避免遊客使用。
贊成修改現存條例的支持者聲稱其對於槍枝持有者的使用權益、以及對於維護國家公園原貌的要求，在兩者間取其平衡。
莫瑞斯在上周進行的電話會議中告訴記者，現行規定是保護野生動物、以及避免盜獵的關鍵要件。莫瑞斯補充，放鬆管制同時也將危及園內工作人員與遊客的安全。
莫瑞斯表示，「於國家公園附近的城市或鄉村等地之露營地、停車場、餐廳與旅社所發生的爭執，由於當地法律關於槍枝裝置彈藥，提供了較為便利的途徑，其危險性可能更高。」
其他的國家公園相關團體，如國家公園巡守員協會(Association of National Park Rangers)、國家公園警察互助會(Ranger Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police)、國家公園保育協會(National Parks Conservation Association)等，均贊同莫瑞斯的看法，並力勸內政部拒絕放鬆管制。
國家公園管理處官員也反對修改規定。泰勒古德瑞奇(Karen Taylor-Goodrich)為美國國家公園管理處遊客暨資源保護副主任，他在2007年1月致信維吉尼亞製槍集團表示，國家公園管理處並不支持對於現行條例的任何更動。
國家公園保育協會的法律代表菲能(Bryan Faehner)，在2月25日的電話會議中，向莫瑞斯及其他批評此提案者表示，「這與槍枝或國家公園無關，這是政治議題。現行的規則本來就運作得好好的。」
但有不少立法人員則支持布希政府的看法，表示現存制度侵犯了美國國民在憲法上使用槍枝的權利。於2007年底起，共和黨與民主黨議員公開在此議題上，對美國內政部長坎培松(Dirk Kempthorne)施壓。
47位參議員於2007年12月14日致信內政部長，信中指出，守法的持槍者只是想要在國家公園與國家野生動物保護區內運輸或攜帶槍枝，但現行條例使他們的權益受損。
The Bush administration is taking aim at longstanding regulations that ban individuals from bringing loaded weapons into many U.S. national parks. New rules that would relax the firearm restrictions will be formally proposed by the U.S. Interior Department within the next two months, despite fierce opposition from current and retired park rangers who argue the changes are dangerous and unnecessary.
The proposal is "a terrible idea," said Doug Morris, a retired park superintendent and member of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees. "These rules work and have long contributed to the indisputable fact that our national parks are among the safest places in America."
Firearms were first banned in national parks in the 1930s in a bid to curb poaching. The rules were eased in 1983 by the Reagan administration to allow visitors to national parks and national wildlife refuges to possess firearms so long as they are unloaded or "packed, cased or stored in a manner that will prevent their ready use."
Advocates of the regulations contend they fairly balance the rights of gun owners with the desire to preserve the fundamental character of the national park system.
The rules are an essential part of efforts to protect wildlife and prevent poaching, Morris told reporters during a conference call last week.
He added that relaxing the restrictions would also jeopardize the safety of park employees and visitors.
"Routine disagreements in camp grounds, parking lots, restaurants and lodges are more likely to turn lethal just as they often do in the cities and rural areas around parks where state laws provide for easy access to loaded firearms," said Morris.
Other park groups, notably the Association of National Park Rangers, the Ranger Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, and the National Parks Conservation Association agree with Morris and have urged the Interior Department to resist calls for the change.
Officials with the Park Service have also shown opposition to the revisions. A letter sent in January 2007 to a Virginia gun group by Karen Taylor-Goodrich, the Park Service's associate director of visitor and resource protection, said the agency does not support any change in the current regulation.
"This is not about guns or parks - it is about politics," Bryan Faehner, legislative representative for the National Parks Conservation Association, said during the February 25 press call with Morris and other critics of the proposal. "The rules are working fine."
But a considerable number of lawmakers disagree, arguing that the regulations violate on the constitutional gun rights of U.S. citizens.
Lawmakers from both parties began openly pressuring Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on the issue late last year.
The rules "infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners" who want to transport or carry firearms within national parks and national wildlife refuges, a group of 47 senators said in a December 14, 2007 letter to the Interior chief.
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