U.S. Sen. Rob Portman
File Photo | The Lima News
WASHINGTON, D. C. – A bipartisan group of twenty U.S. Senators, including Ohio Republican Rob Portman, on Sunday announced an agreement on legislation aimed at keeping guns out of the hands people who might use them for violent purposes.
The deal would enhance background checks for buyers under age 21 and provide major funding to help states pass and implement crisis intervention orders known as red flag laws that allow law enforcement to temporarily remove weapons from people who pose a danger to themselves or others.
It would increase penalties for gun trafficking and straw purchasing, and expand the current prohibition on domestic abusers getting guns to include romantic partners. It would also expand community mental health services for children and families and provide money for school violence prevention efforts, training and the implementation of safety measures at primary and secondary schools.
The proposal’s backers include 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Support from 10 Republicans is needed under current Senate rules for most legislation to make it to the Senate floor.
The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives last week passed a more ambitious package of gun control measures that would include banning high capacity ammunition magazines and limiting the purchase of most semiautomatic weapons to people over age 21, but that measure had no chance to pass the Senate. Rocky River Republican Rep. Anthony Gonzalez was one of just five Republicans who supported it.
The Senators who back the new proposal released a joint statement that described it as “commonsense,” and said measures it contains would “protect America’s children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country.
“Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities,” their statement continued. “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. Most importantly, our plan saves lives while also protecting the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans. We look forward to earning broad, bipartisan support and passing our commonsense proposal into law.”
President Joe Biden said he supports the proposal, and thanked the bipartisan group that negotiated it.
“Obviously, it does not do everything that I think is needed, but it reflects important steps in the right direction, and would be the most significant gun safety legislation to pass Congress in decades,” said a statement from Biden. “With bipartisan support, there are no excuses for delay, and no reason why it should not quickly move through the Senate and the House. Each day that passes, more children are killed in this country: the sooner it comes to my desk, the sooner I can sign it, and the sooner we can use these measures to save lives.”
A coalition of groups that back gun control efforts – Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action – also released statements to support the deal.
“If the framework announced today gets enacted into law, it will be the most significant piece of gun safety legislation to make it through Congress in 26 long and deadly years,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We applaud this bipartisan coalition, led by Senators Murphy and Cornyn, for leading this push to address our nation’s raging gun violence crisis, and we call on their colleagues to answer the call of history, and honor the victims and survivors of gun violence with long overdue action.”
