A proposal for gun safety legislation was announced by a bipartisan group of senators on Sunday, June 12.
The deal is supported by 10 Republicans, meaning it has sufficient support to overrule the Senate filibuster. This is a significant agreement in terms of gun legislation, which is such a divisive issue for lawmakers.
David Hogg, the co-founder of March for Our Lives, tweeted that "Today a bipartisan group of 20 Senators (10 D and 10 R) is announcing a breakthrough agreement on gun violence—the first in 30 years. Told you this time is different".
According to the senators that drafted the proposal, the deal "improves school safety and support for students, and helps ensure dangerous criminals and those who are adjudicated as mentally ill can't purchase weapons".
What Is the Bipartisan Gun Deal?
The deal is only in principle, as it has not been legislatively drafted yet. Nonetheless, it includes a wide range of policies that would restrict gun ownership.
These measures include
- enhanced background checks on those under 21 years old
- allocating more funds to school security
- allocating more funds for mental health services, including suicide prevention programs
- grants for states to implement "Red Flag" laws
This framework came together following the Uvalde tragedy, when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School.