The President of the United States, Joe Biden, this Saturday sanctioned what is known as the Safer Communities Act, the first legislation in more than 30 years that restricts the use of weapons, a bipartisan proposal that achieved sufficient support in both houses of Congress after the recent ones buffalo kills and above all, of Uvalde.
“God willing, this will help save a lot of lives,” Biden said as he signed the bill before reporters at the White House.
After years of procedural delays by the GOP that derailed Democratic efforts to tighten gun controls, lawmakers from both parties decided Capitol inaction was untenable following last month’s attacks in New York and Texas.
It took weeks of closed-door talks, but a group of senators from both parties achieved this week a minimum agreement and of gradual but significant implementation to stop the bloodshed that has become a regular event in the country.
The new law, which has an initial funding of 13,000 million dollars, includes toughening background checks for younger gun buyers, preventing access to firearms for those guilty of domestic violence and helping states to implement laws that make it easier for authorities to remove weapons from people considered dangerous.
It will also fund local programs for school safety, mental health and violence prevention.
The package, introduced in an election year, falls short of the tougher restrictions Democrats have sought for years, such as banning assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines like those used in Buffalo and Uvalde.
In this sense, this Saturday Biden recognized that although the new law “does not achieve everything that had been proposed”, it is at least “something”.
“People asked, at least do something,” said the president. “Well, today we did it.”
Despite backing the bill, Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, in a nod to the constitutional right to bear arms supported by many conservative voters, said this week that “the American people want them to protect themselves.” their constitutional rights and that their children are safe at school.”
“They want both things at the same time, and that is exactly what the bill that the Senate has got will have achieved,” he said.
The signing of the new law takes place at a particularly delicate moment, in which, after the Uvalde massacre, a large part of society demands that the requirements for possession of weapons be toughened.
Despite this, this Thursday, the Supreme Court issued a decision that extends the right to bear arms in public. His ruling struck down a New York law that required people to prove a need to carry a gun in public to get a license.
Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and turn on notifications, or follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Add Comment