A bi-partisan group of 20 US Senators reached an agreement on a 9-provision “gun control” bill following the mass shooting events in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX last week.
The group of Senators released an official statement announcing the development.
“Today, we are announcing a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America’s children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country,” the statement reads.
It then goes on to brag about the plan, which is mostly to send more money to states to bolster their resources. “Our plan increases needed mental health resources, improves school safety and support for students, and helps ensure dangerous criminals and those who are adjudicated as mentally ill can’t purchase weapons.”
The 9-point “gun control” plan includes:
- Support for State Crisis Intervention Orders – Provide more resources to support laws to keep weapons out of the hands of convicted violent criminals
- Investment in Children and Family Mental Health Services – Major financial investments in mental health and suicide prevention programs.
- Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence – Convicted domestic violence abusers and people who have received restraining orders for domestic violence will now be included in NICS.
- Funding for School-Based Mental Health and Supportive Services – Money for programs to support mental health in schools as well as early identification programs for potential threats.
- Funding for School Safety Resources – Money for programs that support school safety measures and training for students and staff to prevent mass violence.
- Clarification of Definition of Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer – Crackdown on criminals who illegally evade licensing requirements
- Telehealth Investments – Money for telehealth programs focusing on mental health
- Under 21 Enhanced Review Process – Buyers under 21 will be subject to a mandatory review period for juvenile and mental health records, including checks with state level databases and local law enforcement.
- Penalties for Straw Purchasing – Crack down on people selling guns who can’t legally possess them or those who refuse to have their names associated with the transaction.
Notably one of the main provisions of the House’s gun control bill, raising the age to purchase assault rifles to 21, is absent from the bill. Despite this, President Biden has already said he will sign the new bill “as soon as it comes to ‘his’ desk”.
The Republicans who signed onto the bill include John Cornyn of Texas, Thom Tillis and Richard Burr of North Carolina, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mitt Romney of Utah and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. Here is what some of them had to say.
Biden and his administration made it clear that they were seeking a total ban on assault rifles. Biden even had suggested banning common handguns in the process. Are you surprised that they are willing to settle for a bill that does none of those things?
