A Republican lawmaker brandished his weapons during a debate on gun control in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Republican Rep. Greg Steube, who attended the committee meeting virtually from his home in Florida, said the legislation would ban several guns.
The second-term congressman showed each of his four weapons for the committee to see, and described one as “a gun I carry every day to protect myself, my family, my wife, my home.”
Texas Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee said, “I hope it’s not loaded.”
Mr Steube replied: “I am at home. I can do whatever I want with my weapons.”
Republicans have opposed a Democratic attempt to introduce new limits on gun purchases, a move that comes after a series of mass shootings in recent weeks, including one at a Texas school that saw 19 children and two teachers shot dead.
The Protection of Our Children Act was added to the legislative register after that shooting and the House Judiciary Committee held a nine-hour hearing on Thursday to discuss the measures.
They include raising the age limit for buying semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, turning it into a federal offense to import, manufacture or own a high-capacity magazine, and creating a repurchase program for those magazines.
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Democratic Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler dismissed Republican criticism, saying, “Do you think it’s too early to take action? Are we ‘politicizing’ these tragedies to enact new policies?
“It’s been 23 years since Columbine. Fifteen years since Virginia Tech. Ten years since Sandy Hook. Seven years since Charleston. Four years since Parkland and Santa Fe and Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.
“Too soon? My friends, what the hell are you waiting for?”
Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, said: “We need to be serious about understanding why this is happening.
“Democrats are always determined to reduce the rights of law-abiding citizens instead of trying to understand why this evil is happening.
“Until we find out why, we will always mourn the loss without facing the problem. Our job is to find out why.”
The final vote in committee was 25 to 19 with Democrats with all votes in favor and Republicans with all votes against.
A vote in the House could come next week, but although it should pass, its chances in the Senate – which is divided 50-50 and where 60 votes are needed – are slim.
On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden called for advances in arms control, saying Congress should ban assault weapons, expand background checks, and introduce a number of other control measures. of weapons.