US House approves gun-control bills expanding background checks News
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US House approves gun-control bills expanding background checks

The US House of Representatives passed two pieces of legislation Thursday to enforce higher standards for background checks on persons intending to purchase firearms from licensed arms dealers.

HR 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, requires licensed gun dealers, manufacturers or importers to act as a third-party background check on unlicensed private parties who intend to transfer firearms privately. The Act passed the House 227-203, supported by only eight Republican members. The only Democrat that voted against it was Jared Golden of Maine.

HR 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act, was specially enacted to prevent the “Charleston loophole,” which allows firearms transactions to be completed before a thorough background check can be conducted. It introduces a scheme wherein licensed dealers will have to undertake longer background checks on unlicensed individuals who intend to purchase a gun. The Act passed the House 219-210, supported by only two Republican members.

The two bills might fall short of the 60-vote majority required to pass the Senate. The acts first passed the House in 2019 but never got to the Senate.

During a White House Briefing in February, Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that strict gun-control laws are a priority for President Joe Biden. She said that the issue of guns is important to Biden “on a personal level.”

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