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The House of Representatives on Friday passed important legislation on armed violence aimed at curbing the frequency of mass shootings in the United States, ending the measure’s swift journey through Congress. He is now addressing President Biden for his signature to make it law.
Following Senate action Thursday night, the passage of the Bipartisan House of Safer Communities Act broke a nearly 30-year blockade in Washington on the controversial and emotional issue of gun rights. Metastatic divisions that have separated Republicans and Democrats on the issue since the 1994 assault weapons ban were passed have prevented significant changes in the acquisition and retention of firearms for those who are not. law-abiding citizens.
The House took the remarkable step on the same day that the Supreme Court, in front of the United States Capitol, announced its historic decision to revoke the right to abortion as set forth in Roe against Wade, painting a dramatic painting in Washington. Democrats applauded, smiled, and waved their arms after the gun measure passed in the House, a startling deviation from their former dark faces.
Weapons legislation was the result of negotiations by a handful of Republican and Democratic senators, led by Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) And John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Following the recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Tex. ., and Buffalo.
The Senate voted 65-33 on June 23 to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. It is the most important firearms legislation in more than 25 years. (Video: The Washington Post)
In addition to providing funding for mental health services and school safety initiatives, the legislation expands criminal background checks for some gun buyers, prohibits a larger group of domestic violence offenders from buying firearms, and funds programs that would allow authorities to confiscate weapons from people in trouble. .
The bill was passed in the House overwhelmingly along party lines, 234 to 193, without Democratic desertions. Fourteen Republicans voted in favor, including Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Tex.), Who represents Uvalde, the small town that is now the infamous home of the school’s second-largest mass shooting after Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade earlier.
Democrats were seen embracing Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), Who ran in Congress after her son, Jordan Davis, was shot dead after a dispute over loud music at a gas station. They were congratulating him after the provisions he supported were incorporated into the bipartisan package.
McBath wept audibly on the floor of the House after President Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Handed him a paper with the final vote count, which led McBath to gently place his head on the shoulder of Hairy as they hugged.
“With this bipartisan package, we are taking the first steps to fight on behalf of the American people, who desperately want new measures to keep communities safe in the high number of polls,” Pelosi told the House. pis. “To those who did not have the courage to join this work, I tell them that your political survival is insignificant compared to the survival of our children.”
The Senate passed the measure, which was accepted by 20 bipartisan senators, Thursday afternoon. Fifteen Republican senators joined all Senate Democrats, marking a historic and little-seen agreement between party lines in an equally divided Senate. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Supported the bill, while the National Rifle Association opposed it.
The Senate approves the bipartisan arms deal
“Behind the façade and the artificial arguments of safety, school safety and mental health, this is a gun control bill,” the NRA said Friday.
The package is sent to Biden’s desk a month after an 18-year-old killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb d’Uvalde Primary School. The tragic loss of life shook the nation as it was already facing a mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store that left 10 dead.
Both incidents influenced Rep. Chris Jacobs (RNY), a father of young daughters who was born and raised in Buffalo, to break up with his party and to speak out in favor of a ban on assault weapons. and the limitation of high-capacity journals, among other measures. The move appeared to have hurt him politically, leading him to announce a week later that he would not seek re-election, after losing significant GOP support.
Other retiring Republicans joined Jacobs to pass the measure, including Reps John Katko (NY), Fred Upton (Mich.), Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio) and Adam Kinzinger (Ill.). Representative Tom Rice (SC), who lost his primary race, backed him. Also voting were vulnerable GOP representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Peter Meijer (Mich.) And Maria Elvira Salazar (Fla.), As well as several Republican members of the Ohio delegation, including representatives Steve Chabot, Michael R Turner and David Joyce. in support.
And in the most startling desertion of her party, Rep. Liz Cheney, the Wyoming Republican who faced a heated challenge in the August primary, also backed the measure, meaning she probably he will face attacks on his Western conservative state for this issue, as well as his prominent problem. role on the committee investigating the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He has been working to win Democratic voters before his primaries.
“As a mother and constitutional conservative, I am proud to support this sensible bill that will protect our children and limit violence without violating the rights of the Second Amendment of law-abiding citizens. Nothing in the bill restricts rights of responsible gun owners. Point, “Cheney said in a statement.
Cheney aims to recruit cross-Democratic Democrats to his primaries
His office also noted that the legislation had received support from the Fraternal Order of Police and the National Association of Sheriffs, groups that the GOP often turns to before considering how to vote on the legislation.
The legislation is modest compared to what Biden had called for in Congress, including a ban on assault weapons and raising the age for buying a firearm from 18 to 21 years old. Neither is in the engagement package.
The bill, however, targets millions in increased mental health services and school safety measures, which Republicans have advocated as the best way to tackle school shootings instead of tougher measures pushed by Democrats . The measure also expands criminal background checks on some gun buyers and prohibits a larger group of domestic violence offenders from buying firearms as part of a language aimed at what is known as a “crack.” of the groom “. It also funds programs that would allow authorities to confiscate weapons from people in trouble.
A Fact Checker analysis that examined the effectiveness of current and proposed state and federal weapons regulations showed conflicting results in preventing mass killings. (Video: Adriana Usero / The Washington Post)
The package faced less resistance from both parties in the Senate than in the House, where Republicans said the bill did not go far enough to expand school safety and embarrassed Democrats for arguing that more the laws would eliminate future school shootings.
“I’ll tell you what saves lives: the decision we received today from the Supreme Court saves lives. This bill takes the lives of law-abiding citizens,” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) told Pelosi, referring to the Supreme Court’s abortion decision.
A small number of progressives initially had reservations about the legislation, citing concerns about funding police presence in schools, which they said could indirectly increase the criminalization of minority students. Most Democrats thought the legislation was weak compared to the more radical changes they have promised voters; one, Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-California), argued Friday that the bill was the “minimum.”
“We should be ashamed,” he said.
After previous mass shootings, Murphy and Cornyn tried to reach an agreement, but fell short. The group of 20 senators knew that significant and lasting reforms meant approaching negotiations without poison pills that would immediately push Republicans off the table.
On Thursday, McConnell acknowledged that the deal “is the sweet spot … making the United States safer, especially for kids in school,” and then told reporters he hoped it would help the GOP win. the goodwill of the “suburban voters we must make.” recover in order to be a majority next year “.
The 15 Republicans who joined all Democratic senators to support the bill were Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.), Richard Burr (NC), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (La .), Susan Collins (Maine), Joni Ernst (Iowa), Lindsey O. Graham (SC), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rob Portman (Ohio), Mitt Romney (Utah), Thom Tillis (NC), Patrick J. Toomey (Pa.) And Todd C Young (Ind.), As well as McConnell and Cornyn.
Mike DeBonis contributed to this report.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that some progressive House Democrats intended to oppose gun control legislation passed Friday. All House Democrats supported the gun control bill. This version has been fixed.