Bipartisan Senate Group Reaches Agreement On Framework For New Gun Safety Measures
deadline.comA bipartisan group of senators have reach an agreement on a framework for a series of new gun safety measures on Sunday.The agreement would expand background checks for those under 21 who purchase guns, grant for states to implement “red flag” laws, expanding a mental health program, improving the background check system overall and increasing funding for school security.Such an announcement would reflect a breakthrough in a long stalemate over any new gun legislation, despite widespread public support for measures like expanded background checks and raising the minimum age to purchase assault weapons to 21.The agreement would fall short of that, according to reports, but members like Sen.
Chris Murphy (D-CT) have said that their goals have been to find common ground on meaningful legislation.Murphy, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen.
Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) have been leading the negotiations. The text of the legislation still needs to be written.“Will this bill do everything we need to end our nation’s gun violence epidemic?” Murphy wrote on Twitter. “No.
But it’s real, meaningful progress. And it breaks a 30 year log jam, demonstrating that Democrats and Republicans can work together in a way that truly saves lives.”He said that the framework has the support of 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans, the latter of which may be a good sign of ultimately overcoming a filibuster threat.But some gun reform advocates believe that even the Senate negotiations may reflect a changed environment in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo, NY, and Uvalde, TX.
Read more on deadline.com
