Democratic MPs Elisa Slotkin (Michigan) and Jared Golden (Maine) on Wednesday voted against passing two gun laws that were introduced in the House of Representatives after last month’s mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uwalde, Texas.
The couple voted “no” to a rule to vote on the Protection of Our Children Act, a package consisting of eight weapons measures, and the Federal Order for Protection against Extreme Risks, a bill aimed at nationalizing red flag laws – which would allow the courts to order the seizure of firearms by persons considered to pose a threat to themselves or others.
Slotkin is a sponsor of the Safe Weapons, Safe Children Act, one of the measures included in the weapons package.
The rule also includes a resolution condemning the “big swap theory,” a racist conspiracy theory allegedly backed by the suspected Buffalo shooter, which claims deliberate efforts are being made to replace white Americans with immigrants.
The resolution also condemned the Buffalo massacre, honored the victims of the shooting and reaffirmed the House’s commitment to fighting white supremacy, hatred and racial injustice.
In addition, the rule consisted of a resolution providing for the allocation of budgetary resources.
Hill turned to Slotkin and Golden for more information on their voices.
Slotkin joined a coalition of Democrats last week, writing a letter to the leadership of the House of Representatives, asking that the measures in the broad package be presented for individual voting. The group, led by Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), Said holding a vote on each measure would maximize support in the Senate and increase the chances of bills clearing the upper house.
However, the Chamber eventually continued to consider the legislation as a single package.
“We fully expect each of these bills to be passed in the House of Representatives, but as we focus on actually achieving a hurtful America, passing each bill individually will ensure that every healthy measure we propose arrives in the U.S. Senate “With maximum bipartisan support, it can come together, registered through individual votes, which gives us the maximum chance to pass legislation to prevent violence with firearms in the Senate and come into force,” the letter said.
Golden has opposed gun laws in the past. In March 2021, the Maine Democrat voted against the Bipartisan Curriculum Vitae Act and the Enhanced Past Examination Act. Both measures cleared the House with mostly party votes and have since stopped in the Senate.
In a statement after his vote against these measures, the congressman said: “I will oppose efforts to undermine our existing system for verifying the past, because I know that the majority of Menners support this system and want it to work effectively and efficiently.
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He also noted that one of the measures was an “almost mirror image” of a voting initiative that failed to cross into Maine in 2016, and noted the popularity of firearms in Pine Tree.
“Many of my constituents have a proud tradition of responsible gun ownership,” Golden said. “For us, firearms are part of everyday life. From hunting to competitive shooting to self-defense, we believe that law-abiding citizens have a constitutional right to access and possess firearms.
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