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A bipartisan group of senators on Sunday announced an agreement on principle for gun safety legislation that would include “essential mental health resources, improve school safety and support for students, and help ensure dangerous criminals and Those who are mentally ill cannot buy weapons,” he said in a statement.
Notably, the announcement includes the backing of 10 Republican senators, which would give the proposal enough support to ward off Senate filabuster. The agreement is important given how divided MPs have been on the gun issue, but the actual legislative text has yet to be written.
The proposal includes support for state crisis intervention orders, funding for school safety resources, an enhanced review process for buyers under the age of 21, and penalties for purchasing straws.
Critically, the law includes a so-called red flag provision, According to the release, the government “provides resources for states and tribes to enact and administer laws that help ensure that lethal weapons are kept out of the hands of persons who have been convicted by a court of law for themselves or others.” considered a significant threat.” The proposal would also include “major investments to increase access to mental health and suicide prevention programs”; and other support services available in the community, including crisis and trauma intervention and recovery.”
Additionally, the law “will provide resources to expand mental health and support services in schools, including: early detection and intervention programs and school-based mental health and wrap-around services.”
The Republican Sense of Texas in the group on release. John Cornyn, 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 Tommy of Pennsylvania. Democratic senators on release include Kirsten Cinema and Mark Kelly of Arizona, Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Chris Koons of Delaware, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Debbie Stabeno of Michigan. . It also includes Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent who works closely with the Democrats.
President Joe Biden said on Sunday that the agreement “doesn’t do everything I think is necessary, but it represents important steps in the right direction.”
If passed, Biden wrote, the framework would mark “the most important gun safety legislation to pass Congress in decades,” with “bilateral support, no excuse, and no reason for delay.” That it should not move quickly through the Senate and the House.”
“With every day that passes, more children are killed in this country: the sooner it arrives on my desk, the sooner I can sign it, and the sooner we can use these measures to save lives.” can.”
Biden also thanked Murphy, who led talks for Democrats as well as Cornyn, Sinema and Tillis.
“The principles he announced today reflect the value of dialogue and collaboration,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a statement. “I hope their discussion will produce a bipartisan product that makes significant progress on key issues like mental health and school safety, respects the Second Amendment, garners widespread support in the Senate, and makes a difference to our country.” Is.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would put a bill on the floor “as soon as possible.”
The New York Democrat said, “After an incredible wave of gun-related suicides and murders, including mass shootings, the Senate is poised to act on commonsense reforms to protect Americans from where they live, where they shop.” , and where they learn”. “We must move swiftly to get this law passed because if even a single life can be saved it is well worth the effort.”
Still, the agreement will be important given how divided MPs have been on the gun issue, even in the wake of a series of devastating mass shootings that killed one. 19 children and two teachers Feather An elementary school in Uvalde, Texas,
A source with knowledge of the discussions said negotiators were expecting 10 Republican senators to sign the deal before the announcement, to show they could pass the 60-vote filibuster threshold. The Senate is currently split evenly between the Democratic and GOP conventions with 50 seats.
Four Chief Senate Negotiators – MurphyCinema, Cornyn and Tillis – were in talks all weekend to grab the final details and also with a large bipartisan group of negotiators.
The House voted 223-204 last week pass a comprehensive package The gun control law is called the Protecting Our Kids Act. Amid widespread GOP opposition to stricter gun controls, the Senate is not expected to pass.
Happened hours after the law was passed in the House Emotional Hearing on Gun Violence In which the families of the victims pleaded for more action.
Maryland’s Democratic Representative Jamie Ruskin praised Senate negotiators on Sunday before announcing their work on the legislation, but withheld their support for an upcoming package.
“Well, we’ll definitely vote on it and work on it,” he said on “State of the Union”, when asked if he would vote for the bill, adding: “It’s in the right direction. Moving on. We’re glad the Senate has finally woken up to this.”
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democrat from New York, said later at the same event that she would be ready to support the legislation “if we get a real baby step, I think there’s no distraction from the solution.” ” He stressed that it is important to include a provision for background checks.
“You know, I believe that, if we can do background checks, my hope – my hope is yes,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
This story has been updated with news of the announced agreement.