The House of Representatives passed a Democratic-led package of gun violence prevention legislation on Wednesday, amid widespread calls for action in the aftermath of a recent wave of deadly shootings.
The vote was largely divided along party lines, with most Democrats supporting and most Republicans opposing the legislation. However, two House Democrats, Kurt Schrader and Jared Golden, broke with their party and refused to support the bill.
The package, officially titled the Protecting Our Kids Act, was introduced late last month, just days after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killed 19 children and two teachers. Among other things, the legislation would raise the minimum age for purchasing semiautomatic firearms from 18 to 21, ban high-capacity magazines, and tighten regulations on ghost guns and bump stocks.
Though the package was passed by the House, it may fail in the Senate due to Republican opposition, which requires 60 votes to pass.
Golden, a Maine lawmaker, cited the likely failure of the Protecting Our Kids Act in the Senate in a lengthy statement explaining why he voted against the bill. He expressed support for ongoing bipartisan gun reform talks among a small group of senators, but said House leadership “hurriedly” brought the package to the floor, and it has “no chance of becoming law.”
“While a few of the individual provisions in the two bills before us have the potential to garner bipartisan support,” Golden wrote, “taken as a whole, the bills are too broad in their design and fall far short of the support required to become law and save lives.” “I regret that the House did not follow the Senate’s lead and engage in a substantive, bipartisan process that could have aided in reaching a final agreement.” Golden emphasized that Congress should concentrate on “doing something of substance” that can be passed into law.
“Rather than taking some types of firearms away from all Americans, we should work to keep all firearms out of the hands of felons and those who have demonstrated that they are at serious risk of causing harm to themselves or others,” the statement said.
Golden also expressed hope that the bipartisan talks would result in a package that includes measures such as tougher penalties for illegal straw purchases, safe storage programs, federal funding for investments in school and community mental health services, and enhancements to the National Instant Background Check System (NICS).
As of Thursday morning, neither Schrader’s official website nor Twitter page had provided any explanation for why he voted against the legislation.
The congressman’s website lists gun violence prevention as a priority. He claims to be a “lifelong gun owner” who believes in “the right of law-abiding citizens to own and access firearms.”
“However,” he wrote, “we have a responsibility to keep our schools, places of worship, and communities safe.” He is a co-sponsor and supporter of a bipartisan background checks bill.
“Gun violence is senseless and tragic, and it can be avoided,” Schrader added. “We must collaborate to ensure that no more lives are lost as a result of it. I believe that protecting the Second Amendment while reducing gun deaths and injuries is entirely possible.”
A small group of Republicans also broke with their party to support the Protecting Our Children Act. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Chris Jacobs of New York, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, and Fred Upton of Michigan are the five House Republicans who voted in favor of the bill.
