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The bill, HR 1112, was sponsored by Representative Jim Clyburn, a Democrat from South Carolina and – as Deputy Leader of the Democratic Party in the House – the highest African-American member of Congress.
The legislation eliminates a loophole in the current law that allows firearms dealers to surrender certain firearms before the end of background checks, a flaw allowing Dylann Roof to purchase a firearm. gun in 2015 and kill nine people at Mother Emanuel Church – one of the most famous black historically churches in Charleston, South Carolina.
This bill, which was passed Thursday at 10 pm to 198 minutes, would extend the background check period from three to 10 days, which, according to the legislator, will give the FBI more time to complete background checks. .
This bill, along with the universal background check bill passed Wednesday, was backed by bipartite support; Republican Rep. Peter King of New York was a co-sponsor.
At a press conference Thursday morning, Clyburn told reporters that he was not being discouraged by the Senate's inertia. Republican leaders in the Senate said it was "unlikely" that the Senate will soon be considering a law on gun control, said Senator John Thune, second member of the GOP Senate. Republicans control 53 seats in the Senate, where most laws require 60 votes to move forward.
"Keep legislating, someday it's going to come off," said Clyburn. "I am introducing a bill on my side of the hall, on Capitol Hill, which I know to be wanted by my constituents."
He added, "Let the Senate do its job or let it do what suits them." I will never stop representing my constituents because they may not get what they want from the Senate. . "
The freshman, Joe Cunningham, a Democrat from South Carolina who represents the district where Charleston sits, also sponsored the legislation. He sees himself as a "responsible firearms owner", who has a concealed port license but still believes in gun laws.
"Closing this Charleston loophole is common sense and a pragmatic solution with bipartisan support," said Cunningham, adding, "As elected officials, we have a duty to repair wrongs because nothing does not beget anything and if nothing changes, nothing will change. "
Jennifer Pinckney, the widow of Reverend Clementa Pinckney, appealed to members of Congress before the vote, as her two young daughters joined her.
"I really hope and pray that we can fill this gap, because a person who, according to them, has entered the church with the good heart, the right spirit, to want to praise the Lord, came with a different intention, "she said. , telling the horrible turn of events at Mother Emmanuel in June 2015.
After the vote, John Lewis, civil rights icon and Democratic Representative of Georgia, warned that Republicans in the Senate should "join us" with changing times.
"MPs and the American people will organize like never before to lead a movement, a crusade, against gun violence," Lewis told CNN. "The elections should make sense, there will be another election and we will get people to vote and send to the Senate people who are committed to ending gun violence."
Pamela Brown, Evan Perez and Don Lemon from CNN contributed to this report.
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