On Wednesday, a few House Republicans defied their party and voted in favour of gun reform, supporting measures made in the aftermath of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas last month.
The Protecting Our Kids Act, a bundle of bills aimed at tightening gun regulations, was the most visible piece of legislation that passed the chamber. The minimum age to purchase a semi-automatic firearm has been raised from 18 to 21, and citizens are prohibited from utilising high-capacity magazines.
Who Are The Representatives?
The bill is doomed in the Senate due to significant Republican opposition. With a vote of 223-204, the package cleared the House on a largely party-line vote. One Republican did not cast a ballot.
Reps. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Chris Jacobs (N.Y.), and Fred Upton (Michigan) joined five other Republicans in supporting the bill (Mich.).
Kinzinger, Gonzalez, Jacobs, and Upton have all announced that they will not seek re-election this year. Jacobs withdrew his candidacy for re-election last week after coming under pressure inside the party for supporting an assault weapons ban.
What Memo Said?
Despite party leadership’s opposition to the bill, the MPs voted in favour of it. On Tuesday, the office of House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) circulated a memo to House GOP offices asking members of the conference to vote “no” on the bill.
“In the wake of the senseless, malevolent shootings that have occurred in recent months, the Majority has put together this reactionary package of legislation that egregiously violates law-abiding citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights and hinders Americans’ ability to defend and protect themselves and their families,” the memo stated.
