Despite Las Vegas shooting, a rollback of gun regulations is still under consideration
In the wake of the worst mass shooting in recent U.S. history, Republicans are gearing up to vote on two bills that would roll back gun control. Yes, roll back gun control.
Congress is getting ready to vote on HR 38, or the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, which would make it legal for people to carry concealed handguns in any state, as long as they have a permit to do so in their home states. That means even if your state has banned concealed handguns, people could still be armed.
That’s not all: The bipartisan Sportsmen Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act, or SHARE Act, is a bill that would, among other things, make it easier to purchase armor-piercing bullets. Tucked into the bill is a provision called the Hearing Protection Act, which would allow for easier access to sound suppressors, commonly called silencers. Suppressors have been regulated under the National Firearms Act of 1934, which requires a federal registration and a special license to own, as well as a $200 tax stamp to purchase. That would also be repealed under the proposed law, which, if passed, is expected to boost sagging silencer sales. Eyewitnesses at the Las Vegas massacre on Sunday said gunfire sounded like “popping,” which led them to realize they were under attack. Many argue that the inability to hear those gunshots could make these already deadly shootings even deadlier.
A hearing on the SHARE Act was initially scheduled for June 14, but it was postponed when a gunman attacked a congressional baseball practice, shooting House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. The vote has once again been delayed by the events in Las Vegas, and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan told reporters that he doesn’t know when it’s going to be scheduled. The bill, which passed the House Committee on Natural Resources on a party-line vote of 22-13, is expected to pass in the House when it goes up for a vote there.
Democrats in the Senate are expected to block the measure, but if you’re concerned about this, call your members of Congress and tell them.
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