Senate passes gun control bill and sends it to the House

NPR Washington Desk | NPR

June 23rd, 2022

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, arrives to meet with Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., arrives for more bipartisan talks on how to rein in gun violence, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 15, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The Senate passed a narrow, bipartisan bill that could become the first gun control measure to come out of Congress in nearly three decades, voting 65-33 late Thursday night.

The legislation resulted from negotiations among 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats that began after two mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, last month. Friday will mark one month since 19 children and two adults were killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.

“This bill is a compromise,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who led the negotiations, right before the vote began. “It doesn’t do everything I want. But what we are doing will save thousands of lives without violating anyone’s Second Amendment rights.”

The legislation would incentivize states to pass red flag laws and expand background checks for 18- to 21-year-olds, among other measures.

House leaders are expected to quickly begin consideration of the bill and President Joe Biden has encouraged Congress to pass it without delay.

The House and Senate are on their two-week July 4 recess after Friday.