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Explained: Calls for gun controls in US and the politics over them
The Colorado shooting was the second deadly shooting in the US in a week and has put pressure on President Joe Biden who said during his presidential campaign that he would take strict action on gun control if voted to power.
The shooting in Boulder, Colorado on Monday which left 10 people dead has started the conversation on federal action on gun control in the United States of America. The shooting was the second deadly shooting in the US in a week and has put pressure on President Joe Biden who said during his presidential campaign that he would take strict action on gun control if voted to power. “I don’t need to wait another minute – let alone an hour – to take common sense steps that will save lives in the future, and I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to act,” President Biden said on Tuesday after the shooting.
The politics over gun controls in America
The second amendment of the United States constitution says, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." This gives rights to US citizens to bear arms but the debate around gun controls is defined by two primary ideologies: Most Republicans advocate for decreasing regulations with respect to gun ownership while most Democrats advocate for regulation over gun ownership. The former promote the idea of use of firearms for self-defense as well as for sporting activities while the latter believe that gun control would lead to safer communities.
What is the history of gun control laws in America?
The history of gun control laws in America began with the Gun Control Act of 1968 which established minimum age for firearms purchases. This law was amended in 1986, easing restrictions on firearm sellers by allowing the sale by licensed deals away from the location shown on their license. In 1993, through the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993, a five-day waiting period was imposed on the purchase of handguns thereby giving time for background checks which was later replaced by an instant check system, which could be extended by three days. In 1994, the Federal Assault Weapons Ban was enacted which prohibited the manufacture, transfer and possession of semi-automatic assault weapons and the transfer and possession of large-capacity ammunition feeding devices. The law expired in 2004.
In the wake of the December 2012 Connecticut school shooting, a bipartisan gun control bill was introduced in 2013 but failed in the Senate. After the December 2015 mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, then President Barack Obama signed executive orders designed to strengthen background checks in 2016. In February 2017, then President Donald Trump signed a measure rolling back an Obama order that made it harder for the mentally ill to buy guns and then in December 2018, the administration banned the type of high-powered gun attachments used in the Las Vegas massacre. In February 2019, another bill to expand background checks died in the Senate.
What are the new bills that are being considered this time?
Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed two bills aimed at increasing background checks of gun owners and these bills will face the Senate where Republican votes will be needed for them to pass. Other than background checks, the bills also focus on closing loopholes which allow some licensed gun sales to go through before a required background check is done.
