(6-24-22) The $13 billion measure passed yesterday, 65-33, was the first major gun safety legislation to be passed since the Brady Bill in 1994. The bill will toughen background checks for the youngest gun buyers, keep firearms from more domestic violence offenders and help states put in place red flag laws that make it easier for authorities to take weapons from people adjudged dangerous. IThe bill also fund local programs for school safety, mental health and violence prevention.
President Biden‘s statement –
Tonight, after 28 years of inaction, bipartisan members of Congress came together to heed the call of families across the country and passed legislation to address the scourge of gun violence in our communities. Families in Uvalde and Buffalo – and too many tragic shootings before – have demanded action. And tonight, we acted.
This bipartisan legislation will help protect Americans. Kids in schools and communities will be safer because of it. The House of Representatives should promptly vote on this bipartisan bill and send it to my desk.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said –
“Tonight, the United States Senate is doing something many believed was impossible even a few weeks ago: we are passing the first significant gun safety bill in nearly 30 years. The gun safety bill we are passing tonight can be described with three adjectives: bipartisan, commonsense, lifesaving.”
The 15 Republicans who joined Democrats in voting for the gun contro bill bill were Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mitt Romney of Utah, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Todd Young of Indiana, and Roy Blunt of Missouri.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell – You Tube Video
U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted to approve the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act by a bipartisan vote of 69-30. The bill – which Portman played a lead role in crafting – represents the largest investment in core infrastructure in our nation’s history.
“America’s infrastructure is in desperate need of repair and today’s vote brings the American people closer to more efficiency and safety in their roads, bridges, ports and other important assets. In addition, the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act will create jobs, increase productivity, and pave the way for decades of economic growth and prosperity – all without raising taxes or increasing inflation.
“Today’s vote is evidence of what the Senate can accomplish when we put the interests of the country and the American people ahead of partisan differences. This bill is the product of months of good-faith negotiations between Republicans and Democrats and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their efforts. I’d like to offer my sincerest thanks to Kyrsten Sinema in particular, without whom none of this would have been possible.
“Presidents and Congresses have talked about truly modernizing our nation’s infrastructure for as long as I can remember. Today, the United States Senate delivered. Now I call on the House of Representatives to expeditiously pass this critical piece of legislation so we can finally deliver to the American people the safe, reliable, and modern infrastructure they deserve.”
Along with Senator Sinema, Portman thanks U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Mark Warner (D-VA) for their work in crafting the bill.
A statement from the group of 10 senators can be found here.
Mercer County Outlook 