Congress passed the most significant federal gun restrictions in decades, sending the bill to President Joe Biden’s desk.
The bill comes into play after the recent shooting in Uvalde, Texas at an elementary school.
The measure aims to strengthen background checks for the youngest buyers, close the so-called boyfriend loophole and incentivize states to pass red-flag laws.
Following Senate passage late Thursday, the House passed the bipartisan bill which takes measures to restrict gun access for the youngest buyers, domestic violence offenders, and others who might be a risk to their communities.
The House approved the bill by a 234-193 margin, as 14 Republicans joined all Democrats.
The bill had opposition from the National Rifle Association.
The legislation will include the following:
- Funds for states to implement red flag laws
- Family mental health spending
- Getting rid of the so-called “boyfriend loophole” by including those convicted of domestic abuse in background checks
- Funding for school-based mental health programs
- Funding for school safety resources
- Clarifying the language of a federally licensed firearm dealer
- Investments in telehealth programs
- Implementing a waiting period on gun purchases for those under age 21
- Penalties for straw purchases of firearms
Democrats anticipate that the legislation would curb gun violence after the recent acts of terror which occurred in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, NY.
Democrats celebrate the legislation’s passage as a landmark event after they won support from Republicans including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has previously fought efforts to restrict gun ownership.
“Tonight, after 28 years of inaction, bipartisan members of Congress came together to heed the call of families across the country and passed legislation to address the scourge of gun violence in our communities,” Biden said in a statement Thursday night after the Senate approved the bill. “Families in Uvalde and Buffalo — and too many tragic shootings before — have demanded action. And tonight, we acted.”
The bill passed on Friday would enhance background checks for 18- to 21-year-old gun buyers. The ease of access to firearms for young adults came under increased scrutiny after 18-year-olds armed with assault-style rifles carried out both the Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas shootings. Democrats hoped to ban those types of weapons for people under the age of 21.
The legislation also aims to close the so-called “boyfriend loophole” and restrict gun ownership for domestic violence offenders who are not married to their partners.
It would also set up state grants to encourage red-flag laws, which allow police, relatives, and acquaintances to petition courts to order the removal of a gun if the individual is deemed dangerous.
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act also would fund school safety and mental health programs.
Republican gun-rights supporters have argued that mental health issues have fueled the U.S. gun violence epidemic, rather than the prevalence of firearms.
Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat and House Speaker recently led the passage of a far more extensive gun bill earlier this month. Pelosi acted quickly to pass the legislation, despite her concerns about its scope.
“Every day, gun violence steals lives and scars communities — and this crisis demands urgent action. “While we must do more, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is a step forward that will help protect our children and save lives,” said Pelosi in a statement on Thursday.
The original proposal would have banned assault-style rifles for people under 21 and barred certain high-capacity magazines, among other steps.
It had very little chance of getting through the Senate, where Democrats would have had to win over 10 Republicans to gather the 60 votes needed to break a legislative filibuster, and was ultimately scaled back.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, ultimately led the breakthrough. Murphy, who represented Newtown, Conn., in the U.S. House during the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in 2012, has long pushed for new gun restrictions.
Fifteen Republicans along with McConnell voted for the bill in the Senate.
The Republican Senate leader on Thursday framed the legislation as a middle ground between protecting schools and ensuring gun ownership rights.
“The legislation before us would make our communities and schools safer without laying one finger on the Second Amendment for law-abiding citizens. Its key provisions are hugely popular with the American people,” said McConnell.
The Supreme Court also struck down a New York law recently that restricted the ability to carry a concealed weapon.
Do you think this is a step forward or backward in regards to the epidemic of shootings that have hit America in the last decade?
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