The government is finally trying to crack down on gun-control.
A bipartisan bill was presented by the House of Representatives on Tuesday that would make firearms trafficking a federal offense.
The bill would give law enforcement the ability to prosecute gun traffickers and make “straw-purchasing,” the act of buying a gun for someone who is not legally allowed, punishable by up to 20 years in jail.
These policies were recommended by President Obama in his gun-violence package that was presented last month.
The bill’s sponsors, Reps. Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Scott Rigell (R-Va.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), weighed in on the issue.
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“As a lifetime member of the NRA, as a firearm owner, as a father … I’ve got a problem with people who break the law using firearms because it inevitably puts pressure on my rights,” Representative Scott Rigell said. “When we punish the bad guys, we’re protecting the good guys. That’s really the essence of the bill.”
Cummings lost his nephew to gun violence over a year ago and described the experience as a “painful thing. “
Meehan states that he is “glad to be able to reach across the aisle and work toward common sense solutions”
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Now the pressure is on the senate to get some sort of gun legislation passed: ban on high-capacity magazines, federal trafficking law, or universal firearm background checks.
It’s nice to see both parties working together to try to resolve this tragic issue of gun-violence.
Which new bill do you agree with the most?
