On Tuesday night, a sizable group of Republican lawmakers helped further gun control legislation within the Senate, signaling the legislation might be filibuster-proof.
Two hours after introducing the bill, it was procedurally passed 64 to 34. It is speculated that the bill might full pass the Senate by the end of the week, pushing the bill back down to the House.
In response to the advancement of the bill, the National Rifle Association (NRA) announced its opposition saying, “This legislation can be abused to restrict lawful gun purchases, infringe upon the rights of law-abiding Americans, & use fed dollars to fund gun control measures being adopted by state & local politicians.”
?BREAKING: NRA Announces Opposition to Senate Gun Control Legislation
"This legislation can be abused to restrict lawful gun purchases, infringe upon the rights of law-abiding Americans, & use fed dollars to fund gun control measures being adopted by state & local politicians." pic.twitter.com/tXriTiWLzw
— NRA (@NRA) June 21, 2022
It is significant to note, that if the procedural vote is an indication of final vote tallies, the bill could overtake the 60-vote requirement to break a filibuster in the Senate.
In total, the bill is 80-pages in length. New gun legislation includes:
- Expanded background checks for anyone, under the age of 21, wanting to purchase a gun
- Grants to be given to states that enact controversial “red flag” laws
- Increased funding for school safety training
- Increased funding for mental heal services
- “Straw” purchases of guns are penalized
- Increases the number of gun sellers to be required to register as a Federally Licensed Firearm Dealer
Notable, republican Senators voting in favor of this bill included Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY), Senator John Cornyn (TX), Senator Lindsey Graham (SC), Senator Bill Cassidy (LA), Senator Roy Blunt (MO), and Senator Richard Burr (NC).
