After it passed through Congress in extraordinary haste, President Biden signed the most important gun control legislation in nearly 30 years.
The time is critical. Biden addressed the nation and stated that lives would be saved. “From Columbine to Sandy Hook, Charleston and Orlando, Las Vegas to Parkland El Paso and Atlanta Buffalo, Uvalde and for daily shootings in the streets.
The House approved Friday’s Bipartisan Safer Community Bill with a 234-193 vote. This vote came just one day after the Senate’s 65-33 vote on Thursday.
This law aims to end mass shootings that have plagued the United States over many years.
Last month, many were killed in mass shootings in Buffalo (New York) and Uvalde, Texas.
Ten Senate Republicans and ten Senate Democrats started negotiations to adopt gun control and reduce gun violence in America’s Senate.
The bill was opposed by the House Republicans, which included Kevin McCarthy, but the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell backed it. He said that the bill would “help make these horrific events less likely while fully upholding Second Amendment Rights for law-abiding citizen.”
This law encourages states to adopt red-flag laws and increase background checks on 18-to-21 year-olds.
18-year-old men were responsible for the Uvalde shooting, which killed 19 children and 2 educators, and the Buffalo shooting, which left 10 dead and three more wounded.
The legislators encouraged states to release previously sealed juvenile records, which could extend the time frame before a gun purchase is allowed.
It is unclear, however, if mass shootings in the past two weeks could be prevented despite the most recent gun control measures.
Both men were 18 years old when they purchased legal AR-15-style rifles. Both of them were exempt from red flag laws.
The most recent provision, which requires states to release juvenile records, could have flagged Payton Gendron (the Buffalo shooter), who was evaluated for mental health concerns in 2021 but dodged any red flags.
