The House on Wednesday evening, passed a sweeping package, largely along Party lines, called the "Protect Our Kids Act", which: Raise the Age limit for purchasing Semi-Automatic Rifles from 18 to 21; Ban High-Capacity Magazines; Create Firearm Safe Storage requirements; and Tighten the regulation of Bump Stocks and Ghost Guns.
A handful of Members broke Ranks in the 223-204 Vote, with: Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Chris Jacobs (R-NY), and Fred Upton (R-MI), supporting the Package; and Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Voting No.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) acknowledges the Passage of H.R. 7910, Protecting Our Kids Act, on the Floor of the House of Representatives in Washington, June 8th, 2021. Notably, each Republican who crossed Party lines will Not be returning to Congress next term, and Schrader recently Lost his Democratic Primary. One Republican did Not vote.
But House GOP Leaders pushed back ahead of the Vote, with Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) noting: "there wasn't a conversation about banning airplanes," after the Sept. 11 attacks, and calling for the Majority to hold Bipartisan Talks like their Senate Counterparts. Though the Legislation is doomed in the Senate, it's intended to put pressure on Republicans who have been hesitant to Enact, or outright Blocked, Reform at the Federal Level, despite growing calls for Change.
The real opportunity to Change Policy lies in the Senate, where a small group of Bipartisan Negotiators is inching closer to reaching a Gun Reform Deal in principle.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), leaving a Meeting with the Group of roughly 11 Lawmakers on Wednesday, said they were discussing "a series of concrete proposals" that he's "hopeful in the next day will all be reduced to a framework that includes a broad range of commitments, in terms of dollar amounts and purposes." But Questions remain around what the Final Deal will include, and if it will go as far as many Americans are Demanding.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has given Negotiators roughly until the end of the week, to come up with a Framework Agreement, after which it would take more time to then develop Legislative language and get the requisite Budget Analyses. "I'm encouraging my Democratic colleagues to keep talking, to see if Republicans will work with us to come up with something that will make a meaningful change in the lives of the American people and stop gun violence," he said on the Senate floor Tuesday.
"Making real progress is very important. Sen. Murphy (D-CT) has asked for space to have the talks continue, and I have given him the space." But not every Negotiator appears on board with that Swift timeline.
Lead Republican on the talks, Sen. John Cornyn (TX) told Reporters on Wednesday, that his "aspirational goal" would be to reach a Deal "in the next couple of weeks, by the end of this work period" on June 27th.
While Negotiators appear to be closing in on a Framework Deal by Friday, One GOP Aide said that Paper is still being exchanged by each side. It's possible that Members announce a Deal in principle and then take a few more weeks to Finalize Language, as was seen with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Senate Democrats need 10 Republicans to join them in theory, but some think any Agreement is going to need even broader Republican support to pass, under the thinking more in the GOP will be willing to support the Measure if it has the backing of their Larger Conference.
If Negotiators do Not come to an agreement, Schumer has vowed to get every Senator on the Record by holding a Vote on doomed-to-fail Comprehensive Gun Reform Legislation, ahead of the Fall Midterm Elections.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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