The US Senate just passed the most sweeping, bipartisan gun bill after 30 years of doing absolutely nothing while thousands of Americans, including children, lost their lives or were seriously injured because of gun violence. The bill passed with 15 Republicans joining the entire Democratic caucus to finally say, ‘Enough is enough!’
“The United States Senate is doing something many believed was impossible even a few weeks ago. We are passing the first significant gun safety bill in nearly 30 years,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said immediately before the vote. “The gun safety bill we are passing tonight can be described with three adjectives: bipartisan, common sense, life saving.”
The bill now goes to the House where it’s expected to pass. Here’s what it does:
- Offers grants to states for red flag laws and crisis prevention programs.
- Enhances background checks for young Americans aged 18 to 21, opening the door to accessing juvenile records.
- Seeks to close the boyfriend loophole by keeping guns away from non-spouse dating partners convicted of abuse, with caveats to restore their access under certain circumstances.
- Clarifies which sellers are required to register as firearm licensees, which would require them to conduct background checks on potential buyers.
- Toughens penalties for gun trafficking.
Oh, and…suck on it, NRA…domestic terrorists!
