Senate advances gun safety bill, overcoming filibuster
by Alexander Bolton - 06/23/22 12:34 PM ETThe Senate advanced a bipartisan gun safety bill past the threat of a filibuster Thursday, setting up a final vote for later in the day or Friday on the furthest-reaching gun legislation that Congress has considered in decades.
The bill, a response to mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, N.Y., would enhance background checks for gun buyers younger than 21, provide money to administer red flag laws and crack down on straw purchasers.
The measure advanced in a 65-34 vote. At least 60 votes were needed.
Those voting to advance the bill included Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who said he wanted to do something to respond to the shocking violence at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, where an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers.
Lawmakers say the 80-page Bipartisan Safer Communities Act may prevent future school mass shootings by providing more than $8 billion for children and family mental health services, school safety officers and efforts to “harden” and improve security at school buildings.
It would close the so-called boyfriend loophole by barring people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses from purchasing or owning firearms, though they could have their rights restored after a period of at least five years.
It would clarify the definition of gun dealers by requiring people who buy and sell a large number of guns for profit register as Federal Firearm Licensees, which means they would have to conduct background checks for those transactions.
McConnell praised the legislation as “a package of commonsense and popular solutions to make these horrific incidents less likely.”
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3534316-senate-advances-gun-safety-bill-overcoming-filibuster/
