Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., says fellow Arizona Sen. John McCain, R-Nev., blocked an amendment he submitted weeks before the horrendous Chattanooga shootings at a military recruiting center that would have allowed "military base commanders the authority" to authorize "service members to carry personal firearms."

McCain "didn't want the amendment as part of the [2016 National Defense Authorization] bill and wouldn't accept it," Heller said Thursday on the Lars Larson Show.

Since McCain is Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, Heller's amendment went nowhere.

Just five days after the Chattanooga attacks, Heller re-submitted his amendment, asking "that National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conferees include" it to enable U.S. military men and women to defend themselves while in uniform.

Heller's letter to the Committee read:

"I encourage all conferees to look at my amendment, along with the language passed by the House, as a reasonable and effective way to move forward on this issue and give our nation's base commanders the authority they need to create a safer environment for our heroes serving across America. Never should the men and women serving at home have to be afraid that the base they work, and often live, on is not safe."

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., introduced a similar amendment to the "must-pass" highway bill this past week, only to have it locked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.