New federal gun safety bill reveals divide among Texas lawmakers

WASHINGTON — The gun safety legislation signed by President Joe Biden on Saturday showed the sharp divisions that remain among Texans in the wake of the mass shooting in Uvalde last month

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The bill was crafted by Texas' Republican Sen. John Cornyn in partnership with Democratic senators, and momentum to “do something" — as Cornyn and Biden have both said they heard from the public — propelled Senate GOP leaders to act despite resistance from many in the party to new limitations on gun ownership.

Only one U.S. Texas GOP member in the House voted in favor of the bipartisan Safer Communities Act. That was Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, who represents Uvalde, where a mass shooting left 19 students and two teachers dead at Robb Elementary School.

“As a congressman it’s my duty to pass laws that never infringe on the Constitution while protecting the lives of the innocent,” Gonzales said in a tweet announcing his support for the bill.

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In an interview Saturday with the American-Statesman, Gonzales said: “To me it was very simple, ‘would this legislation have prevented the Uvalde shootings?' The answer is ‘yes.'’’

Gonzales grew up near Uvalde and said he has felt the impact of the killings on the families and community.

“I have six children,” he said. “It is very personal to me.”

The Texas Republican was among 14 House GOP members who joined all Democrats in voting for the bill 234-193.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, voted in favor of the bill, while Republican Reps. Michael McCaul of Austin, Roger Williams of Austin, John Carter of Round Rock, Chip Roy of Hays County and Pete Sessions of Waco voted against it.

In the Senate, Texas Republican Ted Cruz voted against the bill.

Doggett said he was an unenthusiastic supporter of the bill, referencing the Uvalde shootings and an August 2019 attack in which a gunman killed 23 people at a Walmart store in El Paso

“I am reluctantly voting for this weak legislation, which offers little benefit to Texans endangered by gun violence. It won’t stop another Uvalde or El Paso because implementing its major provisions are dependent upon Gov. Abbott and the Republican Legislature, who don’t want it to work,” Doggett said. “Still, this first very limited victory over the gun lobby in decades does represent a modest step forward for gun safety advocates that may save some lives for those residing in areas with responsible state governments.”

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What does the Safer Communities Act include?

The new law focuses on funding mental health programs and supporting "red flag" laws in states that enable law enforcement to seize weapons from a person who is thought to represent a danger to themselves and others. It also expands background checks for prospective gun buyers who are 18 to 21 years old.

"So often around here, people do things and say things not with the intention of actually passing legislation, but with the intention of making a political statement or messaging,” Cornyn said Saturday. “That's not what we did here.”

“This bill includes important targeted reforms, complete with robust due process protections that I believe will keep our children and our communities safe while respecting Second Amendment rights,” he said. “Law-abiding gun owners are not the problem.”

Roy said he voted against the bill because it was "negotiated with Democrats who have stated openly they wish to ban weapons," and he said it "encourages red flag provisions that are dubiously constitutional."

Carter, a former judge, said that while he was in favor of parts of the bill, he opposed the new limitations on gun ownership

“The Constitution is clear that the Second Amendment shall not be infringed, and unfortunately, the Senate’s gun control legislation has several concerning provisions that will encroach upon law-abiding Americans’ constitutional rights," he said. "While I support the mental health and school safety provisions in this legislation, I cannot support these gun restrictions that unduly take away the rights of responsible gun owners, because of the actions of criminals.”

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Gun control bill signed by Biden reveals divide among Texas lawmakers