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The US House of Representatives approved a bill on Wednesday to regulate the use of weapons in the territory. The initiative takes place after the recent shootings that have shocked the country. The vote came after hearing several of the testimonies of survivors of the latest massacres recorded in Texas and New York. Although it is unlikely that the initiative will prosper, a group of Democrats and Republicans would be negotiating a more “moderate” project.
The Lower House of the United States, with the largest Democratic representation, seeks to make history and with it, a bill has been approved that proposes to strengthen the control of the use of weapons in that nation.
This initiative, cataloged as “Protect our children”, would raise the minimum age from 18 to 21 years to buy a semi-automatic rifle and would prohibit the sale of magazines with a capacity greater than 15 bullets.
It also proposes measures to regulate home-made weapons, known as “ghost guns” or ghost weapons, because they lack a serial number and have been the cause of an increasing number of shootings.
“I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together in a strong vote in favor of all provisions of the bill for the final package and to do so as part of a crusade for and by children. He urged a vote in favor of the ‘Protect Our Children’ legislation,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The vote was approved with 223 votes in favor and 204 against. Five Republicans broke with their party and endorsed the measure, while two Democrats voted “no.”
During the chamber, some legislators carried orange ties, the color that has become a symbol against armed violence, since it is the one worn by hunters to avoid being shot.
The House of Representatives is also scheduled to vote on a second bill known as the “Federal Extreme Risk Protection Orders Act.”
This legislation seeks to extend to the entire country the well-known “danger alert” or “Red Flag” laws, which have been approved in states such as California, New York and Florida and which allow the activation of a legal procedure to confiscate firearms. of those who may represent a danger to themselves or others.
An initiative amid the shootings
The debate in the chamber of the Lower House takes place in a context where the shootings do not stop, even the vote took place after hearing the testimonies of victims of the Uvalde school shooting, in which 19 students and two teachers died. As well as the victims of the attack in a Buffalo supermarket, which claimed the lives of ten citizens. This fact, in addition, is being investigated as a racist crime.
The speeches of the Democratic legislators were the most fervent in favor of the victims. That of Sheila Jackson Lee stands out, who, next to photos of the murdered people of Uvalde and Buffalo, said almost at the top of her voice: “While I’m here next to the children of Uvalde, they shouldn’t have died! While I’m here with Buffalo, they shouldn’t have died!”
Will the bill prosper?
It is well known in American politics that the discussion of carrying weapons has historically had its interests. Even the recent shootings were not an impediment to the suspension of the annual convention of the National Rifle Association in Houston, known for the largest arms lobby in the United States.
For his part, President Joe Biden has once again called for a ban on the sale of assault weapons. Despite this convulsive scene of violence, it is also known that the project has no chance of prospering.
For his part, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, instead of pushing for a quick vote on the sweeping House bill, has opted to give bipartisan negotiations more time. The Senate talks, led by Democrat Chris Murphy and Republican John Cornyn, agree that the Senate must respond to the continuing wave of shootings.
But they propose a more “moderate” Law with measures such as: the improvement of security in schools, the reinforcement of mental health services and more reinforcement to prevent the possession of weapons in people who are legally prohibited from possessing them, such as criminals.
In the past, Democrats tried to pass gun control legislation to stem the tide of mass murders, which have already exceeded 200 this year in the United States alone, and other types of gun-related violence, but it did not pan out. .
With Reuters, AFP and EFE
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