Arizona Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, Mark Kelly hail bipartisan passage of gun bill

The Senate voted Thursday to pass a bipartisan gun bill sponsored by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and supported by Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was one of 15 Republicans who crossed the aisle to join all 50 of the 100-member chamber's Democrats to support new public safety measures.

The final vote was 65-33. The House of Representatives is set to vote Friday on the legislation.

"Today, thanks to bipartisan support in the Senate, our Bipartisan Safer Communities Act moves one step closer to becoming law, keeping our schools safe, and reducing violence in our communities," Sinema, D-Ariz., said in a written statement released immediately after the Senate action.

She also praised the three other senators whose names are on the bill.

"I’m grateful for the partnership of Senators (Christopher) Murphy (D-Conn.), (John) Cornyn (R-Texas), and (Thom) Tillis (R-N.C.) — together we crafted a commonsense solution to community violence that protects Americans’ constitutional rights and saves lives," Sinema said. "Passage of our bill with support from both sides of the aisle demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together to solve problems."

Kelly, D-Ariz., also emphasized bipartisanship in a post-vote statement.

"Today’s bipartisan vote is an example of what can get done when Republicans and Democrats come together to solve real problems, which is exactly what I came to Washington to do," said Kelly, whose wife, former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., suffered a near-fatal gunshot wound to her head in a 2011 assassination attempt. "Our legislation will make our schools and communities safer, save innocent lives, and expand mental health care services while protecting our Second Amendment rights. I look forward to swift House passage so that our bill can get to the President’s desk as soon as possible."

The Bipartisan Communities Safety Act, which President Joe Biden is expected to sign, advances mild restrictions on gun ownership, falling far short of the sweeping changes Biden and many Democrats wanted after a series of mass shootings around the country.

Among the bill's hallmarks is ending the so-called boyfriend loophole, a gap in federal policy that allows unmarried partners convicted of domestic violence to purchase guns if they do not have children or live with their partner.

The bill would push states to consider juvenile records when reviewing gun ownership applications for 18- to 21-year-olds. And it will direct hundreds of millions of dollars toward state crisis intervention programs and the development of community behavioral health centers.

"As the author of the Brady Bill from 1994 — the last (major) legislative effort to fight gun violence in Congress — I’m pleased that this moment has finally come, and that we’re finally taking meaningful action to keep our communities safe," Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a written statement. "I hope it paves the way for future action on guns in Congress & at all levels of government. As I said, this is not a cure-all for all the ways gun violence affects our nation, but it is a long-overdue step in the right direction."

For years, Republicans in Washington remained unmoved to calls for gun control legislation that ranged from commonsense background checks to a ban on assault rifles. Then came the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in which one gunman killed 19 students and two teachers after purchasing two assault style rifles just days after his 18th birthday.

That massacre motivated a bipartisan group of 20 senators — 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats — to the negotiating table. Sinema was among the leaders in those talks.

McConnell, who had refused to support any legislation that could curtail the widespread ownership of guns, praised the effort.

“This is the sweet spot,” McConnell said Wednesday on the Senate floor. “Making America safer, especially for kids in school, without making our country one bit less free."

Across the aisle: Sinema touts bipartisanship ahead of Senate gun bill vote

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, signaled Thursday that the House would act quickly on the Senate-passed gun bill.

"Every day, gun violence steals lives and scars communities — and this crisis demands urgent action," Pelosi said in a statement. "While we must do more, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is a step forward that will help protect our children and save lives."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sinema, Kelly hail bipartisan effort to pass gun control bill