The Hill By Cristina Marcos - 02/13/19
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced legislation that would require universal background checks for gun purchases in the latest sign that Democrats are prioritizing gun control in the first days of their majority.
Lawmakers on the panel voted along party lines to approve the bill, 23-15. Democrats hope to bring the measure to the floor for a vote in the coming weeks.
The committee vote came a day before the one-year anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which killed 17 people.
Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), whose district includes Parkland, made an emotional plea during the committee markup for the bill's approval if it meant even one mass shooting could be prevented.
"It happened," Deutch said of the Parkland shooting. "Now, our responsibility is to do everything we can to make sure it never happens again."
Deutch wasn't the only lawmaker to become emotional at the markup, the first major gun control legislation advanced out of the House Judiciary Committee in decades.
Under the GOP majority, the House did pass multiple measures in response to gun violence, including enacting penalties against agencies that fail to report to the background check system and providing grants to schools for implementing security to prevent violence.
Freshman Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), who lost her son to gun violence, broke into tears after casting a vote in favor of the bill. "For my son Jordan Davis, I vote aye," she said.
More:
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/429939-house-panel-advances-bill-to-expand-background-checks-for-gun-sales
