Just hours before the vote, survivors and relatives of victims of the two shootings made emotional pleas for congressional action on gun violence at a hearing of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
Read More: ‘We Demand Action,’ Mom of Slain Uvalde Schoolgirl Tells House
Despite the Uvalde and Buffalo killings and other recent mass shootings, Republicans in Congress are resisting any measure that they say would restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
The Senate talks are focusing on grants to states to set up “red flag” laws, which allow courts to temporarily remove guns from people who authorities believe could hurt others or themselves, strengthening juvenile background checks for gun purchases, providing money for mental health services and bolstering school security.
Democratic Representative David Cicilline of Rhode Island said before the vote that House Democrats were ready to pass whatever deal emerges from the Senate talks led by Democrat Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Republican John Cornyn of Texas.
“We all understand we have got to make some progress on this issue,” he said.
Murphy said the Senate group met in person for the first time on Wednesday and said they were making progress. He also said that the original deadline to complete the negotiations by the end of this week won’t be met and that they are now looking at July 4.
“To do that we need to move expeditiously,” he said. “But this would be a big, historic deal and we need to get it right.”
GOP Senator John Thune of South Dakota said Republicans are negotiating “in good faith” but that getting the votes needed to pass any gun legislation will depend on the the details put forward. “This is not simple stuff,” he said.
“We know that there are negotiations going on in the Senate and we are prayerful about those. And hopefully we can make some advancement,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said ahead of the vote.“Right now in the eyes of survivors, and indeed all Americans, to see if we have the courage, the commitment and the conviction to protect the children.”
Ohio Republican Representative Jim Jordan said “the answer is not to destroy the Second Amendment, but that’s where the Democrats want to go.”
“Protecting our kids is important, yes it is, but this bill doesn’t do it,” Jordan said. “What this bill does is take away second amendment rights, God given rights protected by our constitution, from law abiding American citizens.”
Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates gun-safety measures, is backed by Michael Bloomberg, founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP.
Some House Democrats facing tough races this November expressed frustration before the vote that leaders were putting multiple proposals in one package instead of as separate pieces of legislation.
Representative Mikie Sherrill, a New Jersey Democrat, said that some of the ideas in the package could win more Republican support but voting on all them in a single piece of legislation makes bipartisan action more difficult.
“As we’re trying to find our way forward, why, why in the House wouldn’t we take these individual votes and really narrowly craft them so we can see if there is any possibility of movement?” Sherrill said Tuesday in an interview.
The five Republicans who voted for the bill were Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Fred Upton of Michigan, Chris Jacobs of New York and Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio. Kinzinger, Upton, Jacobs and Gonzalez aren’t seeking reelection.
The two Democratic no votes were cast by Jared Golden of Maine and Kurt Schrader of Oregon.
–With assistance from Laura Litvan and Steven T. Dennis.
Become an Insider
_”God given rights protected by our constitution, from law abiding American citizens.”_ What can one possibly say about that? So your “god” gave you constitutional rights on 1791-12-15 to carry weapons, but you think it still has validity now? You have to be nuts. You will continue to murder your families and children until the US does away with your right to carry weapons.
“Protecting our kids is important, yes it is, but this bill doesn’t do it,” Jordan said. “What this bill does is take away second amendment rights, God given rights protected by our constitution, from law abiding American citizens.”
Firstly, God did not give these rights, this was written by men.
Secondly, is the right to Life, Liberty and Freedom not paramount (and not only mandated by an amendment)
Thirdly, stricter control does not infringe your right to bear arms/own guns. It ensures you are capable and responsible enough to do so. (Like making you sit an test to ensure you are capable to drive a motor vehicle)
Also, it allows for the measures to help prevent the “bad people” from having guns, so that the “good people” can (and prevent the “good” having to “stop” the “bad”.
Thats one of the functions that society agrees to in the “social contract” that ensure my first point – Life, Liberty and Freedom.
Remember that with freedom comes responsibility…this is the time to act responsibly.
Forget the slogans (alternative facts?) about destroying 2nd Amendment Rights, and Taking Guns Away (selective context is amazing). Act with a moral conscience and do what you all no is right. Finally have the guts (you macho men and Wild Bill Boys) to act like your “heroes” and go against the rabble rousing rhetoric.
Thats how real heroes behave. They save the “damsel in distress”, rescue the child from the “burning building”. They don’t hide behind selective interpretations from 200 years ago.
Do right.