US House approved Background Checks Act and Enhanced Background Checks Act

Listen to this article

The US House of Representatives approved 2 bills that would expand background checks on firearm sales, however, the legislation will likely stall in the Senate. These are the 1^st significant gun control measures passed by the House since President Biden took office. Point to be noted that President Biden earlier promised during the presidential campaign to enact legislation strengthening background checks. The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, H.R. 8, was approved with a vote of 227 to 203 with 8 Republicans joined almost all Democrats in voting for the bill. It would establish background check requirements for gun sales between private parties, prohibiting transfers unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check.

It is noteworthy that the Background Checks Act would not apply to certain transfers, such as a gift between spouses. The bill was introduced by Democratic Congressman Mike Thompson and Democratic Senator Chris Murphy introduced the companion bill in the US Senate. The legislation was nominally bipartisan with 3 Republican cosponsors including Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, Christopher Smith of New Jersey, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. On Thursday, the 2^nd legislation considered by the House is the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021, H.R. 1446. The bill was introduced by House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. It would close the “Charleston loophole”, which allows some gun sales to go through before background checks are completed.

Dylann Roof purchased a firearm in 2015 (under that loophole) and then used it to murder 9 people at a historically Black church in South Carolina. The bill would enhance the time frame for firearm sellers to wait and receive a completed background check before transferring a firearm to an unlicensed buyer from 3 days to 10 days. The House passed the H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 by 219 to 210 votes with 2 Republicans voted in favor and 2 Republicans voted against it. Many House Republicans have expressed opposition to these bills and unsuccessfully attempted to stall the vote on the bill. It is important that both bills could face a steep uphill climb in the Senate because Democrats have a slim 50-seat majority. Most legislation needs 60 votes to advance in the US Senate.