Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) received a barrage of boos during his speech at the Texas Republican Convention on Friday for negotiating a bipartisan gun control package, even as the longtime conservative senator moved to reassure the crowd by stating he kept “Biden’s gun-grabbing wishlist off the table.”
John Cornyn delivered a 14-minute speech to near-constant jeers on Friday afternoon as he promoted his discussions aimed at “keeping weapons out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.”
After last month’s mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Texas’ senior senator is the primary Republican negotiator pushing bipartisan gun reform legislation.
A group of senators stated on Sunday that they had reached an agreement on a bill’s structure, which includes establishing a federal grant program to encourage states to pass red flag laws and requiring mental health information to be included in background checks for gun purchases under the age of 21.
John Cornyn received no applause when he told the crowd that he had defeated initiatives like an assault weapons ban, comprehensive background checks, and a ban on high-capacity magazines.
Are John Cornyn’s Efforts Going To Reap Any Fruits In Spite Of Loopholes
With the Senate poised to depart on a two-week recess after this week, lawmakers have yet to agree on the bill’s language. The biggest unsolved issue appears to be the language of the “boyfriend loophole” fix.
Domestic violence offenders who assault a spouse, a partner with whom they reside, or a partner with whom they have a child are prohibited from purchasing firearms under current federal law. The framework published on Sunday proposed addressing the loophole by prohibiting gun purchases by people who mistreat a partner in a “continuing romantic or intimate connection.”
Despite opposition from both sides, the plan appears to be on track to become the most substantial federal action on gun control in decades. Many on the political left believe the idea does not go far enough, therefore House Democrats passed a bill this week that imposes considerably stricter restrictions, such as raising the age to purchase semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21.
Hard-right Republicans, on the other hand, have slammed the move, alleging it’s a step toward further gun control. Former President Donald Trump criticized proposals for gun reform as a “grotesque endeavor” just days after the Uvalde shooting.
