Newly re-appointed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her Democratic majority are pushing for more gun control with legislation that would mandate a background check on anyone attempting to buy a firearm.
As The Hill reported, the Democrats introduced a bill Tuesday, eight years after former Democratic Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords narrowly escaped death after a gunman opened fire on her. They have named the “H.R. 8” to recognize the anniversary of the shooting and what they describe as the inaction of House Republicans. (RELATED: Mother Of Son Killed By Illegal Immigrant Tells Democrats To ‘Love Amerians More Than You Hate The President’)
Current U.S. House Majority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) listens during a news conference April 21, 2016 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Congressional Democrats held a news conference to call for a raise in the federal minimum wage. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“So many times after we’ve had a tragedy … we would vote on the floor and have a moment of silence. And that’s it. Silence, no action,” Pelosi told reporters, adding, “We say, enough is enough.”
Pelosi has promised to move quickly to legislate “common sense” gun control measures.
Gun control advocates have long considered universal background checks to be an achievable goal on their agenda, which also includes eliminating assault weapons and banning magazines with larger storage. Washington state voters approved an initiative in last November’s midterm elections that will raise the legal age to buy a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21.
Students and shooting survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School sing at the conclusion of the “March for Our Lives” event demanding gun control after recent school shootings at a rally in Washington, U.S., March 24, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein
But even if Pelosi manages to shepherd the bill through the House with Democratic support, the Republican majority in the Senate is unlikely to embrace the legislation. (RELATED: Nancy Pelosi Excuses Rashiba Tlaib’s ‘Impeach That Mothefu**er Comment)