The U.S. House of Representatives passed a “red flag” bill Thursday that would allow families, police and others to ask federal courts to order the removal of firearms by people at extreme risk of harming themselves or themselves. others. It’s the most recent Democrat-controlled response to mass shootings in the United States and probably has little chance in the Senate. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia currently have such “red flag” laws. According to the House bill, a judge could issue an order for the temporary removal and storage of firearms until a hearing is held, up to two weeks later, to determine whether the firearms should be returned or retained for a specific period. The bill was approved by a vote mainly of party line 224-202. “We know painfully that we can not do enough to save every life and there is no one answer that will solve this problem,” said Jerrold Nadler, a Democratic chairman of the House Justice Committee. “But we know that taking up arms at the hands of people who pose a danger to themselves or others would save countless lives.” The vote comes after an emotional week in Congress of testimonies from recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York, and took place ahead of a planned rally in Washington on Saturday by groups supporting stronger gun control. On Wednesday, Parliament approved a sweeping arms control bill that would raise the age limit for buying a semi-automatic rifle and ban the sale of loaded ammunition with a capacity of more than 15 rounds. It also has virtually no chance in the Senate. House Republicans have criticized the “red flag” bill as it allows the federal government to take up arms of a law-abiding individual without having the opportunity to challenge it in advance. “It would allow the courts to remove weapons from people without warning and without even the right to appear in court to defend themselves in court,” said spokesman Mike Johnson, R-La. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that the bill will result in about 10,000 urgent petitions being submitted to the courts each year. The bill will also create a grant program for the US Department of Justice to encourage states to enact “red flag” laws and support the 19 states that have already implemented them. Five Republican lawmakers voted in favor of the bill: Pennsylvania MP Brian Fitzpatrick, Ohio State Anthony Gonzalez, New York Chris Jacobs, Illinois Adam Kinzinger and Michigan Fred Upton. Only Fitzpatrick is seeking re-election. Maine MP Jared Golden was the only Democrat to vote no. The main sponsors of the bill were Democrats Salud Carbajal of California and Lucy McBath of Georgia, whose son, Jordan Davis, was killed at a Jacksonville, Florida, gas station in 2012 by a black-and-white musician. his friends were playing in their car. President Joe Biden strongly supports the bill. The White House said it would “make significant progress in protecting weapons away from dangerous hands.” However, the bill is unlikely to go to the Senate, where at least 10 Republican senators would be needed. Instead, senators are focusing on gradual policy changes through a system that will send funds and other incentives to states to enhance safety on school campuses, provide more mental health services to young people, and possibly encourage states to pursue their own interests. . Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who is leading the negotiations, said a focus is on strengthening the historic control system, known as the NICS, to include the criminal record of young buyers before they turn 18. “Adding juvenile files to the NICS system is a common sense way to ensure we have a complete picture of the buyer history,” Cornyn said. He is optimistic that the senators will be able to reach an agreement. “Around here, if there is a will, there is a way, and I believe we have the will and we will find the way,” Kornin said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said the House was ready to consider a Senate arms bill “if it is a lifeline and can make a difference.” But he warned: “We can not have relapses. We can not tell them well, it is for this and it is for that. “No, these are weapons.”
Associated Press author Alan Fram contributed to this report.
