The U.S. Senate Thursday evening passed a bipartisan gun control bill by a 65-33 vote.
The bill’s passage in the upper chamber follows a string of mass shootings around the nation, which prompted calls from the national left to implement stricter gun control measures.
One of the bill’s most controversial provisions is the authorization of $750 million in federal grants to incentivize states to implement red flag laws, which allow courts to grant law enforcement with the authority to seize a citizen’s firearms if that individual is deemed to be a threat to others or themselves.
Many conservatives contend that red flag laws allow governmental authorities to sidestep individuals’ traditional rights to due process.
The “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act,” which was led by U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), gained the support of 14 additional Republicans.
U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) both voted against the legislation.
In a statement explaining his opposition to the bill, Shelby suggested that the Second Amendment’s language was unambiguous in enshrining the citizenry’s right to bear arms.
“I firmly believe that this legislation raises serious constitutional concerns and opens the door to the erosion of the Second Amendment to our Constitution,” proclaimed Shelby. “The Second Amendment states that ‘the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.’ This does not leave room for question. It is evident that our Founding Fathers counted the right to keep and bear arms as a fundamental right of all law-abiding Americans. The Second Amendment is not a suggestion.”
Shelby noted that taking aim at the Second Amendment would not serve to reduce crime and advised that measures should be taken to address the “underlying issues” of violence.
“As such, I do not believe that restrictive gun laws are the answer to curbing violent crime in America. Let’s enforce the laws already on the books, combat the culture of violence in society, and address the underlying issues that may contribute to such heinous acts,” continued the senator. “We must also ensure that individuals who commit crimes with firearms are held accountable for their actions and receive swift and certain punishment commensurate with their crimes.
Shelby concluded, “Congress should focus on solutions that truly tackle violent crime, address mental health, and ensure school safety without infringing on the constitutional freedoms of law-abiding gun owners. This bill does not do that. For that reason, I intend to vote against the ‘Bipartisan Safer Communities Act’ and will continue to oppose efforts that infringe upon the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.”
According to Tuberville, the Senate approved-bill “fell short” in upholding Second Amendment protections.
“I have always been a proud supporter of our Second Amendment rights. As the Supreme Court rightly recognized this week, any attempts to interfere with law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights should be subject to a high level of scrutiny,” declared Tuberville. “I carefully considered this bill, and ultimately, I believe it fell short of ensuring protection of our Constitutional second amendment rights.”
Tuberville went on to lament the incorporation of red flag law provisions, as well as the exclusion of measures to harden school infrastructure.
“While I appreciate that the bill includes provisions that focus on mental health, I have serious concerns over how states could implement red flag laws without appropriate due process protections, and I am disappointed with the lack of direct funding to safeguard our schools,” added Alabama’s junior senator. “I would have welcomed the opportunity to thoughtfully address these concerns, but we were given about an hour to review the bill before we were asked to take the first vote, and there was no amendment process to improve the bill once it was on the floor. For these reasons, I could not support this bill.”
The “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives, where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has pledged to hold a swift vote on the bill.
President Joe Biden publicly expressed his support of the bill and is expected to sign it into law once Congress grants it final approval.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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