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Congressman Hanna says dislodging Remington will be uphill battle for other states

By KATRINA SMITH

Story Created: Jan 30, 2013 at 2:23 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jan 30, 2013 at 2:23 PM EDT

ILION, N.Y. (WKTV) - A southern congressman says "we believe in the right to bear arms" as part of his pitch to lure local gun manufacturer Remington Arms to his state in light of New York's gun control SAFE Act, but Congressman Richard Hanna says, "not so fast."

Hanna says that dislodging Remington from New York State will be an up-hill battle.

The company, which employs more than a thousand people, has a history in Ilion that goes back nearly two centuries, according to its website. Congressman Hanna says that is generations of expertise in the DNA of all of those who work for Remington.

Republican Congressman Jeff Duncan was quoted by USA Today as saying Remington's parent company should relocate to South Carolina in order to avoid "enemies" of the second amendment.

"This message that was sent by the state over gun control, well it doesn't change their ability to manufacture," Congressman Hanna said. "It costs a little more to do business in New York State. They're going to have to tighten up security on a number of things, but they'll still be able to do and build everything they've done all along because the other 49 states do not have the same rules."

Congressman Duncan's overture to Remington is not the first, as lawmakers from Michigan and Oklahoma have also courted the company.

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