Whatever happens regarding the
gas tax, congress does appear
poised to deliver the biggest
overhaul of the nation's gun
laws in nearly three decades.
It is a development few
observers believed possible,
even as mass shootings like
those in Buffalo and uvalde
shook the country.
Congressional correspondent Lisa
Desjardins joins me now to
explain what is in the bill,
what is not, and where this
proposal goes from here.
Let's start, hello, let's start
with the fact that this has
several elements to it.
Tell us what is in here and what
it looks like.
Lisa: This is an 80 page bill.
That is not very long when you
talk about how much it does, but
it has specific elements to it.
I want to start we idea of what
we are talking about with guns
specifically.
The title of the bill is the
bipartisan safer communities
act.
There are $750 million in grants
to help states and local
officials and counties, if they
want to enforce and do more to
implement things like red flag
logs -- laws, crisis
intervention, mental health and
veterans support.
It is up to the community to
decide.
It's also with boyfriends or
girlfriends, blocked if they are
convicted of domestic abuse for
five years.
There's also cracking down on
straw purchases.
That is when someone purchases a
gun legally but is doing it for
someone else who is not able to
buy it legally and sells it to
them.
That would be illegal under this
law.
So we see different kinds of
provisions appealing to
different people but all new
aspects of gun law in the U.S.
Judy: We know this also includes
part of an effort that is
focused on young men who are
troubled, who may become
violent.
Tell us about what in the bill
would address that.
Lisa: I want to take time to
talk about that.
That is one of the main reasons
we are here.
The shootings in uvalde and also
in Buffalo.
What do we know?
The suspects in those shootings,
teenagers.
People between the ages of 18
and 21 able to get a hold of an
assault style or long gun, able
to use those to -- with
incredibly lethal effect.
Here's what the bill does in
terms of tackling the idea of
troubled youth.
There would be a new records
check for anyone 18 to 21 years
old who would attempt to buy a
longer.
-- Long gun.
That check would last between
three and 10 days.
Then they would look into mental
health records for young people,
which are now not part of the
process at all.
Reading the bill last night, I
discovered that provision would
actually sunset in 2032.
It is a temporary provision and
it is part of a compromise.
But this is something people
think is significant and could
save lives.
Judy: We know that this is being
described as the most
significant bill to address gun
violence in decades.
How did we get to this point of
even having it?
Lisa: I think there are a few
elements.
Some of it have to do with
personalities.
The two people who really pushed
this through the most were
Democrat Chris Murphy of
Connecticut who is known at the
forefront of this debate,
because he's close to Newtown
and took up the mantle of this
idea of gun reform after the
sandy hook shootings.
Then there's John Cornyn of
Texas, which has seen repeated
mass shootings in his state.
They got together and lead this
effort.
Here's what they said in the
last day about the bill they
were able to craft.
>> I don't want us to pass a
bill for the purpose of checking
a box.
I want to make sure we actually
do something useful.
>> This bill will be too little
for many.
It will be too much for others.
But it isn't a box checking
exercise.
This is not windowdressing.
This bill is going to save
lives.
Lisa: This was a focused bill
and is not just about the
aspects I mentioned above, but
also significant aspects on
health and safety.
In this bill, billions for
schools and pediatricians to get
mental health training, to
expand mental health services
for young people and also $300
million for school safety.
A wide range of uses that can
have.
It is interesting, something
that Democrats got in the
compromise.
Grants cannot be used to fund
gun training for teachers,
something Democrats did not want
to see.
So notable not just within the
bill, but who opposed it.
The national rifle association
is opposed to this.
This is the first bill in
decades we've seen likely to
pass congress on guns despite
NRA opposition.
Judy: What does the timeline
look like on this?
If the senate does pass it, what
are the prospects in the house?
Lisa: It does look actually
pretty good in the house.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi is on
board.
We expected to go through the
senate this week and the house
should take it up after it comes
back from July 4 recess.
Stay tuned, but right now it
looks pretty good.
Judy: Stay tuned.