Five Republicans voted in favor of the bill: Representatives Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Fred Upton of Michigan, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, and Chris Jacobs of New York. Two Democrats – Representatives Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon – voted against it.
However, the move is not expected to pass the Senate, amid widespread opposition from the GOP to stricter arms control. A bipartisan group of senators is taking part in talks to try to find common ground on arms policy, but it is not yet clear what will come out of the effort. Legislation passed in the House includes a number of individual bills aimed at preventing armed violence. The measure would increase the legal age for buying certain semi-automatic central firearms from 18 to 21, establish new federal crimes for arms trafficking and for selling high-capacity magazines, and allow local governments to compensate those who give up those magazines. through a repurchase program. . It would create a tax incentive for the retail sale of secure storage devices and criminal penalties for failing to comply with the new requirements governing the storage of firearms in residential premises. The measure would also take steps to strengthen existing federal regulations on stocks and ghost guns.
“We are on a crusade for children and, unfortunately, for children now. Children are testifying in committee,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during the House debate, referring to Miah Cerrillo, a student. Robb Elementary School. , who gave a videotaped testimony before the Judicial Committee of the House on Wednesday morning. “America has lost more children to armed violence than any other cause. Are you ashamed? Do you think that more children have died in our country than to any other cause of armed violence? These stories are tragically too common in the United States today.”
Pelosi had asked in a letter from a dear colleague that his fellow Democrats be present in the House during the debate, but only about a quarter of the caucus was present when the debate began.
House Republicans criticized the legislation, describing the package as a violation of American rights.
“Here they come: pursuing the freedoms of the Second Amendment of law-abiding citizens,” said Ohio MP Jim Jordan. “The speaker started by saying that this bill is about protecting our children. That’s important … That’s what she said, ‘Protecting our children is important.’ Yes, it is. But this bill What this bill does is eliminate the rights of the second amendment, the rights granted by God, protected by our Constitution to law-abiding American citizens. That is what this legislation does, and that’s why we have to oppose it. “
Prior to the debate, the House held a procedural vote that also considered a resolution passed by New York Democrat Rep. of white supremacy and reaffirmed. ” the commitment of the House of Representatives to combat white supremacy, hatred and racial injustice. “Its resolution also called for” many people in positions of power and media institutions with widely viewed public platforms “who have contributed to and legitimation of the underlying principles of the theory of great substitution. ”
When asked why he did not insist on a vote by his resolution, Bowman said that “the end result for us is that the resolution is approved, no matter how it comes.”
“It’s really important for Congress to take a stand,” he said.