The House of Representatives on Friday approved bipartisan arms legislation, which was approved by an overwhelming majority in the Senate late the night before, by sending it to President Biden for signature. This marks the most significant update of national weapons laws in nearly three decades.
The bill, called the Two-Party Safer Communities Act, passed the lower house by 234-193 votes, with 14 Republicans joining all Democrats.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi read the vote after applause from members of Congress on the floor.
The bill tightens checks on gun buyers under the age of 21, provides billions of dollars in mental health services and school tempering, and closes a so-called “boyfriend’s door” to prevent convicted domestic abusers from buying firearms for five years. . The plan also provides grants of $ 750 million to encourage states to implement crisis intervention programs, clarifies the definition of a federally licensed firearms dealer, and creates criminal sanctions for straw purchases and arms trafficking.
Left, Representative Veronica Escobar, Texas, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, and Member of Parliament Jimmy Gomez, D-California, listen as they attend a US Capitol event event on gun violence on Friday, June 24 , 2022. J. Scott Applewhite / AP
The president said he would sign the bill quickly.
The passage of the legislation by both chambers puts an end to nearly 30 years of inaction by Congress, which has failed to find common ground on changes to federal firearms laws even amid rising gun violence and mass shootings across the country.
But after shootings in Buffalo, New York and Uwalde, Texas that killed a total of 31 people, a bipartisan group of senators – led by Democrat Chris Murphy of Connecticut and John Cornin of Texas – were prompted to find consensus on tougher gun laws again. which leads to the plan, which is now being referred to Mr Biden’s office.
The Senate passed the bill 65-33 late Thursday night, with 15 Republicans voting in favor. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton did not vote, as did Republican Sen. Kevin Kramer, who is recovering from a serious arm injury in North Dakota. All Democrat senators voted in favor of the bill.
The House of Representatives began a procedural vote on the bill Friday morning and passed it hours later, just before lawmakers are expected to leave Washington for a two-week break. Democrats generally backed the plan, but Republican leaders in the House of Representatives encouraged their Republican members to oppose the law, saying it was part of efforts to undermine the rights of law-abiding Americans under the Second Amendment.
However, the plan received support from a small coalition of Republicans, including Republican Tony Gonzalez, who represents Uwalde, where a gunman killed 19 children and two primary school teachers last month.
Shortly after the Texas massacre, bipartisan Senate negotiators began negotiations to reach a deal in response to the latest wave of mass shootings. They released a framework for the proposal earlier this month and unveiled the legislation on Tuesday.
The Senate plan is narrower than a package of bills passed by the House last month that, among other reforms, will raise the minimum age for buying a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21 and ban high-capacity magazines. However, this legislation would not receive enough support from Republicans to advance in the Senate.
Although the bill also does not respond to what Mr. Biden called on Congress to do, he supports the bill and on Thursday called on the House to act quickly.
“Tonight, after 28 years of inaction, bipartisan members of Congress have come together to heed the call of families across the country and pass legislation to tackle the scourge of gun violence in our communities,” Mr Biden said at the reception. of the Senate bill on Thursday. “Families in Uwalde and Buffalo – and too many tragic shootings before – demanded action. And tonight we acted. This bipartisan legislation will help protect Americans. Children in schools and communities will be safer because of it. The House of Representatives must immediately vote on this bipartisan bill and send it to my bureau. “
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Catherine Watson
Catherine Watson is a political reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, DC
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