US close to historic gun-control bill after 2 mass shootings, but doesn’t hike age of purchase

The senate is likely to pass a bipartisan package this week; the biggest gun lobby NRA believes legislation infringes on rights of citizens.

A gun-control advocate holds a sign across from the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting during a protest in Houston, Texas on 27 May 2022. | Photo: Eric Thayer | Getty Images via Bloomberg

New Delhi: The United States on Tuesday made its most significant attempt in decades to introduce legislation that would curb gun violence – a month after two horrific mass shootings by teenagers.

Senators voted to quickly pass a bipartisan raft of measures to strengthen the country’s gun laws.

The Senate is likely to vote on the 80-page bill this week before it goes on a two-week break.

The legislation includes provisions that would help states to keep guns away from those who are a danger to themselves and others.

 The bill also hopes to block gun sales to those convicted of harming unmarried partners.

 Since mass shootings by teenagers are on the rise – both shooters at the Texas elementary school and the New York grocery store were 18-year-olds – the legislation will urge states to provide juvenile records about young gun purchasers.

The bill, however, ignores the demand to increase the purchase age of assault weapons from 18 to 21 years.

With the 100-seat Senate split evenly between the two parties, the legislation will need support from at least 10 Republicans to pass a procedural hurdle. Fourteen Republicans joined all 50 Democrats to move toward voting on the legislation, Reuters reported.

The bipartisan group has been working on the legislation after the Texas and New York shootings last month.

The country’s largest gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, is strongly opposed to the bill. It said on Twitter: “This legislation can be abused to restrict lawful gun purchases, infringe upon the rights of law-abiding Americans, & use fed dollars to fund gun control measures being adopted by state & local politicians.

?BREAKING: NRA Announces Opposition to Senate Gun Control Legislation

"This legislation can be abused to restrict lawful gun purchases, infringe upon the rights of law-abiding Americans, & use fed dollars to fund gun control measures being adopted by state & local politicians." pic.twitter.com/tXriTiWLzw

— NRA (@NRA) June 21, 2022