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THIS SUNDAY negotiators from both parties in Congress announced a bill that would address gun violence at the federal level. The proposal, which has the support of nearly all of the Democratic Party and at least 10 Republican senators, would not ban assault weapons or raise the age to purchase guns from 18 to 21. In that sense, it would not be a big win for the Democratic Party.
The proposal is not so drastic, and with the vote of those 10 senators, it is already enough to pass into the hands of President Biden, who has already said he would sign it. In principle, this bill is not against guns, but against those who use them. The main point of the proposal is that all minors under 21 would undergo an intense background check in order to be able to get a gun. Also, states could enable so-called red-flag laws, which would allow authorities to confiscate guns from potentially dangerous individuals.
This bill still has a long way to go, but it is a first step that, while far from a victory, Democrats see as necessary. Of course, the context puts Republicans under tremendous pressure. After the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings, the pressure from the general public is that something has to be done. And passing this bill with broad GOP support could allow them to take a lot of pressure off themselves, and not cave in the future, in the face of the imminent possibility that Democrats may want to go after more.
The debate is intense, and the risk of limiting the Second Amendment is latent. Republicans are responsible for channeling the debate and addressing the concerns by putting forward proposals without limiting the freedoms that have made America great.
Orlando Avendaño is the co-editor-in-chief of El American. He is a Venezuelan journalist and has studies in the History of Venezuela. He is the author of the book Days of submission // Orlando Avendaño es el co-editor en Jefe de El American. Es periodista venezolano y cuenta con estudios en Historia de Venezuela. Es autor del libro Días de sumisión.