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A worker restocks AR-15 guns at Davidson Defense in Orem, Utah on March 20, 2020. The US Senate bill announced Sunday, June 12, 2022 fails to put any limitations on the sale of AR-15s or high-capacity ammunition magazines. (Photo by GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images)
Bipartisan Senate Deal on Guns Deemed 'Pathetically Weak'
"This bill is a joke! This makes it sound like mental health is the cause for gun violence. It’s the fucking guns!"
Jun 12, 2022
A group of 20 U.S. senators announced a deal Sunday on an outline of a bill designed to give the appearance that they are taking meaningful action on gun violence and mass shootings.
But gun safety advocates were quick to point out that the deal mostly ignored guns--and rather focused on those areas that the NRA and their Republican supporters prefer the debate to be: mental health and hardening of schools.
"Today, we are announcing a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America's children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country. Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities," the group said in a statement on Sunday. "We look forward to earning broad, bipartisan support and passing our commonsense proposal into law."
\u201cWhat's NOT in the Senate gun deal\n\n\u2014No ban on semi-automatic weapons\n\u2014No ban on high-capacity magazines\n\u2014No 21 minimum age to buy AR-15-style rifles\n\u2014No universal background checks\n\nhttps://t.co/9FapV90yHb\u201d— Sahil Kapur (@Sahil Kapur) 1655048678
The "commonsense" deal doesn't include any of the key provisions gun safety advocates say are necessary. The proposal has:
- No ban on semi-automatic weapons
- No ban on high-capacity magazines
- No 21 minimum age to buy AR-15-style rifles
- No universal background checks
- No safe storage rules at homes
- No requiring background checks on Internet sales and at gun shows
- No banning family members purchasing weapons for their kids
Ryan Shead, a disabled veteran, gun control advocate and Arizona State Rep candidate, tweeted: "This bill is a joke! This makes it sound like mental health is the cause for gun violence. It's the fucking guns! Funding for school safety? It's the fucking guns! Do better!! Kids are dying."
\u201cA laughably weak deal. Just the worst kind of empty bipartisanship. Senate Democrats are making a huge mistake giving Republicans cover on the gun violence epidemic without getting anything of substance in return. \nhttps://t.co/5jDMu9MrjI\u201d— Adam Best (@Adam Best) 1655049097
\u201cSpare me the \u201chistoric bipartisan deal\u201d rhetoric, please. This is pathetically weak.\u201d— Charles Johnson (@Charles Johnson) 1655050106
\u201cThe gun reform framework is inadequate. If they don\u2019t have the courage to put universal background checks in the bill, something that 88% of Americans support, it\u2019s a charade, not legislation. No courage.\u201d— Nina Turner (@Nina Turner) 1655053846
\u201cRep. @AOC on Senate's gun reform framework: "I'm disappointed to hear a focus on increased criminalization & juvenile criminalization instead of really having the focus on guns. But the background checks provision is encouraging. So I think we really need to look at the text."\u201d— The Recount (@The Recount) 1655039214
\u201cCoward Senators @SenateGOP @dscc reach gun safety deal so they can say they did \u201csomething\u201d. #UniversalBackgroundChecks and #AssaultWeaponsBan will have to wait for more mass killings, but the Republicans will crow about how they\u2019re protecting children https://t.co/0ZyRBYcWUp\u201d— politicalnash (@politicalnash) 1655053746
\u201c@mkraju So it doesn\u2019t do anything meaningful - it just gives the GOP yet another chance to point at headlines saying they were bipartisan while reserving the future option of pointing out how gun laws don\u2019t work immediately following the next tragedy. Democrats should not capitulate.\u201d— Manu Raju (@Manu Raju) 1655049002
\u201c@SenBooker This plan is an embarrassment esp on the Pulse Nightclub anniversary\n\nNo common sense assault weapons ban means weak democrats fell for the it\u2019s mental health distraction trick again \n\nYou think an art therapist is going to run in and save the day?\u201d— Sen. Cory Booker (@Sen. Cory Booker) 1655052310
\u201cI am seriously angry about this. @ChrisMurphyCT this is basically a Republican list of thoughts and prayers while the American people get crumbs and still face mass slaughter from AR15's.\u201d— Shar G (@Shar G) 1655051815
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A group of 20 U.S. senators announced a deal Sunday on an outline of a bill designed to give the appearance that they are taking meaningful action on gun violence and mass shootings.
But gun safety advocates were quick to point out that the deal mostly ignored guns--and rather focused on those areas that the NRA and their Republican supporters prefer the debate to be: mental health and hardening of schools.
"Today, we are announcing a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America's children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country. Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities," the group said in a statement on Sunday. "We look forward to earning broad, bipartisan support and passing our commonsense proposal into law."
\u201cWhat's NOT in the Senate gun deal\n\n\u2014No ban on semi-automatic weapons\n\u2014No ban on high-capacity magazines\n\u2014No 21 minimum age to buy AR-15-style rifles\n\u2014No universal background checks\n\nhttps://t.co/9FapV90yHb\u201d— Sahil Kapur (@Sahil Kapur) 1655048678
The "commonsense" deal doesn't include any of the key provisions gun safety advocates say are necessary. The proposal has:
- No ban on semi-automatic weapons
- No ban on high-capacity magazines
- No 21 minimum age to buy AR-15-style rifles
- No universal background checks
- No safe storage rules at homes
- No requiring background checks on Internet sales and at gun shows
- No banning family members purchasing weapons for their kids
Ryan Shead, a disabled veteran, gun control advocate and Arizona State Rep candidate, tweeted: "This bill is a joke! This makes it sound like mental health is the cause for gun violence. It's the fucking guns! Funding for school safety? It's the fucking guns! Do better!! Kids are dying."
\u201cA laughably weak deal. Just the worst kind of empty bipartisanship. Senate Democrats are making a huge mistake giving Republicans cover on the gun violence epidemic without getting anything of substance in return. \nhttps://t.co/5jDMu9MrjI\u201d— Adam Best (@Adam Best) 1655049097
\u201cSpare me the \u201chistoric bipartisan deal\u201d rhetoric, please. This is pathetically weak.\u201d— Charles Johnson (@Charles Johnson) 1655050106
\u201cThe gun reform framework is inadequate. If they don\u2019t have the courage to put universal background checks in the bill, something that 88% of Americans support, it\u2019s a charade, not legislation. No courage.\u201d— Nina Turner (@Nina Turner) 1655053846
\u201cRep. @AOC on Senate's gun reform framework: "I'm disappointed to hear a focus on increased criminalization & juvenile criminalization instead of really having the focus on guns. But the background checks provision is encouraging. So I think we really need to look at the text."\u201d— The Recount (@The Recount) 1655039214
\u201cCoward Senators @SenateGOP @dscc reach gun safety deal so they can say they did \u201csomething\u201d. #UniversalBackgroundChecks and #AssaultWeaponsBan will have to wait for more mass killings, but the Republicans will crow about how they\u2019re protecting children https://t.co/0ZyRBYcWUp\u201d— politicalnash (@politicalnash) 1655053746
\u201c@mkraju So it doesn\u2019t do anything meaningful - it just gives the GOP yet another chance to point at headlines saying they were bipartisan while reserving the future option of pointing out how gun laws don\u2019t work immediately following the next tragedy. Democrats should not capitulate.\u201d— Manu Raju (@Manu Raju) 1655049002
\u201c@SenBooker This plan is an embarrassment esp on the Pulse Nightclub anniversary\n\nNo common sense assault weapons ban means weak democrats fell for the it\u2019s mental health distraction trick again \n\nYou think an art therapist is going to run in and save the day?\u201d— Sen. Cory Booker (@Sen. Cory Booker) 1655052310
\u201cI am seriously angry about this. @ChrisMurphyCT this is basically a Republican list of thoughts and prayers while the American people get crumbs and still face mass slaughter from AR15's.\u201d— Shar G (@Shar G) 1655051815
A group of 20 U.S. senators announced a deal Sunday on an outline of a bill designed to give the appearance that they are taking meaningful action on gun violence and mass shootings.
But gun safety advocates were quick to point out that the deal mostly ignored guns--and rather focused on those areas that the NRA and their Republican supporters prefer the debate to be: mental health and hardening of schools.
"Today, we are announcing a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America's children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country. Families are scared, and it is our duty to come together and get something done that will help restore their sense of safety and security in their communities," the group said in a statement on Sunday. "We look forward to earning broad, bipartisan support and passing our commonsense proposal into law."
\u201cWhat's NOT in the Senate gun deal\n\n\u2014No ban on semi-automatic weapons\n\u2014No ban on high-capacity magazines\n\u2014No 21 minimum age to buy AR-15-style rifles\n\u2014No universal background checks\n\nhttps://t.co/9FapV90yHb\u201d— Sahil Kapur (@Sahil Kapur) 1655048678
The "commonsense" deal doesn't include any of the key provisions gun safety advocates say are necessary. The proposal has:
- No ban on semi-automatic weapons
- No ban on high-capacity magazines
- No 21 minimum age to buy AR-15-style rifles
- No universal background checks
- No safe storage rules at homes
- No requiring background checks on Internet sales and at gun shows
- No banning family members purchasing weapons for their kids
Ryan Shead, a disabled veteran, gun control advocate and Arizona State Rep candidate, tweeted: "This bill is a joke! This makes it sound like mental health is the cause for gun violence. It's the fucking guns! Funding for school safety? It's the fucking guns! Do better!! Kids are dying."
\u201cA laughably weak deal. Just the worst kind of empty bipartisanship. Senate Democrats are making a huge mistake giving Republicans cover on the gun violence epidemic without getting anything of substance in return. \nhttps://t.co/5jDMu9MrjI\u201d— Adam Best (@Adam Best) 1655049097
\u201cSpare me the \u201chistoric bipartisan deal\u201d rhetoric, please. This is pathetically weak.\u201d— Charles Johnson (@Charles Johnson) 1655050106
\u201cThe gun reform framework is inadequate. If they don\u2019t have the courage to put universal background checks in the bill, something that 88% of Americans support, it\u2019s a charade, not legislation. No courage.\u201d— Nina Turner (@Nina Turner) 1655053846
\u201cRep. @AOC on Senate's gun reform framework: "I'm disappointed to hear a focus on increased criminalization & juvenile criminalization instead of really having the focus on guns. But the background checks provision is encouraging. So I think we really need to look at the text."\u201d— The Recount (@The Recount) 1655039214
\u201cCoward Senators @SenateGOP @dscc reach gun safety deal so they can say they did \u201csomething\u201d. #UniversalBackgroundChecks and #AssaultWeaponsBan will have to wait for more mass killings, but the Republicans will crow about how they\u2019re protecting children https://t.co/0ZyRBYcWUp\u201d— politicalnash (@politicalnash) 1655053746
\u201c@mkraju So it doesn\u2019t do anything meaningful - it just gives the GOP yet another chance to point at headlines saying they were bipartisan while reserving the future option of pointing out how gun laws don\u2019t work immediately following the next tragedy. Democrats should not capitulate.\u201d— Manu Raju (@Manu Raju) 1655049002
\u201c@SenBooker This plan is an embarrassment esp on the Pulse Nightclub anniversary\n\nNo common sense assault weapons ban means weak democrats fell for the it\u2019s mental health distraction trick again \n\nYou think an art therapist is going to run in and save the day?\u201d— Sen. Cory Booker (@Sen. Cory Booker) 1655052310
\u201cI am seriously angry about this. @ChrisMurphyCT this is basically a Republican list of thoughts and prayers while the American people get crumbs and still face mass slaughter from AR15's.\u201d— Shar G (@Shar G) 1655051815
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