The Senate approved a bilateral gun violence bill to curb gun violence in the country. 15 Republicans joined Democrats in support of the bill passed with a majority of 65 to 33. The bill will now go to the House for a vote before it can be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.
The bill comes with a $ 13.2 billion price tag including millions of dollars for school safety, mental health, crisis intervention programs and incentives for states to include juvenile records in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
It also provides tougher background checks for the youngest gun buyers, especially those between 18 and 21 years, keeps firearms away from more domestic violence offenders and helps states put in place red flag laws. The bill includes billions of dollars in funding to help secure schools and support mental health resources.
The elementary school massacre in Uvalde in May that killed 19 children and two teachers, was the bloodiest mass shooting in the United States this year. This occurred only 10 days after a shootout at a supermarket in Buffalo, killing 10 people.
As per the estimates, more than 390 million guns are owned by US citizens. In 2020 alone, more than 45,000 Americans died from firearms-related injuries. The recent attacks in the US have further fuelled the debate on the need for long-standing gun control measures.
