Updated on 06/12/2022 at 19:22
- Republicans and Democrats have agreed on a proposal to reform gun laws in the United States.
- The changes are minor, assault rifles are not intended to be banned.
- President Biden hailed the agreement as a step in the right direction.
Almost three weeks after the massacre at a Texas elementary school, a bipartisan group in the US Senate has agreed on proposals for better protection against gun violence.
This includes, among other things, a more intensive screening of potential gun buyers under the age of 21, as the majority leader of the US Senate Democrats, Chuck Schumer, announced on Sunday. That of the US President Joe Biden and other Democrats demanded ban on assault rifles is not planned. Biden said the proposals don’t include all the measures he thinks are needed, but are a step in the right direction.
Republicans say gun attacks are on the rise due to the rise in mental illness
Schumer’s statement said the proposals also aim to expand state laws allowing for the confiscation of guns from potentially dangerous individuals. Illegal arms trade should be punishable at the federal level.
In addition, “our nation’s mental health crisis” should be addressed. Republicans, in particular, argue that the rise in gun attacks is due to a rise in mental illness, not the ready availability of guns in the United States USA.
On May 24, in the small Texas town of Uvalde, an 18-year-old man had an assault rifle 19 children and two teachers were shot dead in an elementary school. Biden then criticized that it was “ruthless” that Republicans in the US Senate blocked any tightening of gun laws. A few days ago, the US House of Representatives voted in favor of a bill that would raise the age limit for buying assault rifles from 18 to 21. The proposal by the ten Democratic and Republican senators on Sunday falls far behind.
US President Biden calls for speedy passage of law
“Today we are announcing a sensible, bipartisan proposal to protect America’s children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across the country,” the 20 senators said in a joint statement. The plan will save lives while protecting the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans.
Biden called on the Senate to quickly pass a corresponding law. After that, the House of Representatives would have to approve the bill and Biden would have to sign it. On Saturday, numerous people demonstrated in Washington and other cities in the United States for stricter gun laws. (mt/dpa)
Updated on 06/12/2022 at 11:36 am
According to the organizers of the “March for Our Lives”, around 40,000 people took part in the central rally in the US capital Washington on Saturday. (Image credit: imago/NurPhoto/Allison Bailey)