A bipartisan group of senators has agreed on stricter guidelines on the highly politicized issue of firearms regulation. The plan doesn’t go very far, but it marks a breakthrough after decades of deadlock.
At a demonstration against gun violence over the weekend in Austin, Texas, a protester shows a photo of her cousin Jackie Cazares, who was shot dead in the Uvalde massacre.
Three weeks have passed since the school shooting in Texas; Now a non-partisan group in the American Senate has agreed on stricter guidelines for gun laws. The project does not go very far, but it is the first time in decades that anything concrete has been done on this issue. So far, Republicans have successfully resisted any push for more restrictive gun laws.
Tighter controls on gun buyers
This time it’s different. The massacre in Uvalde, where an 18-year-old shot dead nineteen children and two teachers with an assault rifle in a primary school on May 24, shortly after the racially motivated killing spree in Buffalo that killed ten, sent a shock wave through the United States. In addition, the murder rate in the United States is increasing rapidly. Over the weekend, thousands demonstrated against gun violence in Washington and other American cities. Survey show that a majority of the population wants the regulations to be tightened.
The group, consisting of ten Democratic and Republican senators, has agreed, among other things, on a more detailed examination of potential gun buyers under the age of 21. It is now also possible to view the juvenile criminal record and any entries relating to mental disorders. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced the bill on Sunday.
The plan also envisages expanding existing state laws that allow people to confiscate their guns if authorities are alerted, such as in cases of domestic violence. Not only spouses are now taken into account in such warnings, but also, for example, the girlfriend of a gun owner if she is threatened by him. The sale of weapons should also be more strictly regulated. Illegal trade could now also be punished at the member state level.
Funds are also to be allocated for the expansion of psychiatric health care. Many Republicans argue that the increase in shootings has nothing to do with the availability of guns, but with the rise in mental illness among adolescents.
The draft does not include the ban on assault rifles desired by President Joe Biden. He said the proposal doesn’t include all the measures he thinks are needed, but goes in the right direction. A few days ago, the House of Representatives voted to raise the minimum age for purchasing assault rifles from 18 to 21. However, the bill has little chance of being passed by the Senate.
Higher hurdles in the House of Representatives
Now the fundamental agreement still has to be translated into the wording of a law. President Biden said he hopes it will be on his table for final signature soon. All Senate Democrats are expected to vote in favor of acceptance. If, in addition, the ten senators involved in the drafting also say yes, the required majority of 60 votes would be reached.
However, there is still the hurdle of a vote in the House of Representatives. In any case, it is striking that the ten Republicans involved will all be retiring soon or will no longer stand for election for other reasons. This means that they do not take any career risks with their commitment. It is also noteworthy that the otherwise loud National Rifle Association has not yet commented on the senators’ agreement. Perhaps even the influential gun lobby is feeling that the tide is changing a bit at the moment.