Ms. McBath later grew emotional on the House floor, wiping away tears as she embraced her Democratic colleagues and celebrated the legislation’s passage. Applause broke out in the chamber as it became clear the bill had secured a majority of support.
Final passage of the measure came a day after 15 Republican senators joined Democrats in breaking a G.O.P. filibuster to push the measure through the Senate, clearing a hurdle that had proved insurmountable for most past efforts to update gun laws after other horrific mass shootings.
The House passed the measure with a similarly low margin of Republican support, as top G.O.P. leaders urged their members to oppose the measure as a threat to the Second Amendment. Just 14 Republicans voted in favor of the legislation, joining all the Democrats. Five of those Republicans are retiring, and one, Representative Tom Rice of South Carolina, recently lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger.
“As a mother and a constitutional conservative, I’m proud to support this sensible bill that will protect our children and limit violence without infringing on law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights,” said Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who has been largely ostracized from her party over her role on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot. “Nothing in the bill restricts the rights of responsible gun owners. Period.”
But the majority of Republicans remained unmoved by efforts by their colleagues to emphasize the narrow scope of the firearm provisions and the investment in mental health resources.
“Today, they’re coming after our Second Amendment liberties, and who knows what it’ll be tomorrow,” Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said of Democrats.
Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/24/us/politics/gun-control-bill-congress.html
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