President Biden and Senator Chris Murphy walking outside the White House. Image Credit
Nothing gets me more excited than 👏 BIPARTISANSHIP 👏
So you know my Sunday was cartwheels and rainbows when I heard that Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) and his team of ten blue and ten red senators came together and decided the framework for a gun reform bill. You can listen above as my husband Eric and I discuss this, plus, well, what exactly IS the filibuster, anyway??… it’s just under 20 minutes. I’ve also outlined it below if reading is more your thing!
Note: in the recording, I was mistaken about the number of days the President has to sign a bill into law. It is ten days, not three.
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What happens when 10 Republican Senators and 10 Democratic Senators walk in a room?
Well, apparently, we get some compromise on gun reform. After the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings, Congress has been determined to pass some sort of reform— the first in 30 years. Senator Chris Murphy (D) and Senator Tom Cornyn (R) led this discussion, and before I give you the main points, I want you to know an important caveat: we have not seen the actual bill language yet. With the framework set, Senate staffers will be working this week to write the actual bill. Sometimes, as they say, the devil is in the details. I’ll keep you updated if anything changes. Here’s the main framework for the bill:
Major funding to help states pass and implement crisis intervention orders (red flag laws) that will allow law enforcement to temporarily take dangerous weapons away from people who pose a danger to others or themselves.
Billions in new funding for mental health and school safety, including money for the national build out of community health clinics.
Close the “boyfriend loophole,” so that no domestic abuser—a spouse OR a serious dating partner— can buy a gun if they are convicted of abuse against their partner.
First ever federal law against gun trafficking and straw purchasing.
Enhanced background check for under 21 gun buyers and a short pause to conduct the check. Young buyers can get the gun only after the enhanced check is completed.
Clarification of the laws regarding who needs to register as a licensed gun dealer, to make sure all truly commercial sellers are doing background checks.
You may feel several things about this. You may think it’s not nearly enough, you may think it’s way too much, or any which way in between. I encourage you, no matter how you feel, to make your voice known to your representatives. You can go to senate.gov, find the numbers of your senators, and give them a call. Even if they are already doing the work you’d like them to do! The next couple of weeks will be crucial in this process.
On that note, the Senate has set a goal to vote on this bill by June 24th (before they go on recess for the July 4th holiday). Here’s what the process will look like from here:
Bill language will be formalized.
This bill is originating in the Senate, and each chamber has its own set of rules. In the Senate, bills are first discussed and debated. This is when you will see the filibuster come into play… a tactic that can be used by a minority party to extend discussion/debate indefinitely. The only way to overcome this is with 60 votes to overcome the filibuster. This is why it was crucial to have ten Republicans already on board for this legislation… they will, in theory, already have the 60 advocates they need to get this past the filibuster.
Once debate has ended, the Senate will vote on the bill. To pass the bill, they only need a simple majority.
If the bill passes the Senate, it moves on to the House. The House will also have a discussion/debate period, but in the House, it’s a set amount of time. This will predetermined and there is no filibuster.
Once the discussion time has ended, the House will vote on the bill. Only a simple majority is needed for it to pass.
If it passes the House, it will go to the President’s desk. He has ten days to sign the bill. President Biden has indicated that he will sign this bill, but that could change if the bill language ends up landing differently than outlined this weekend.
Lots coming in the days ahead! I once again encourage you to call your senators and let them know how you feel about this.
See you next time!
-Sarah
What is the filibuster?