Washington: The US Senate passed bipartisan legislation to impose new gun control measures that would tighten background checks.
The Senate on Thursday night passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act with a 65-33 vote, sending the measure to the House for consideration.
Lawmakers crafted the legislation in response to a number of recent high-profile mass shootings in the United States, including an elementary school shooting in Texas that killed 19 children and two teachers, and a supermarket shooting in Buffalo that killed 10 people.
The legislation would enhance background checks for firearms buyers under 21 years old, restrict firearm ownership by convicted domestic abusers, provide funding for states to develop so-called “red flag” laws and increase spending on mental health services.
The bill would also order federal officials to establish a Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-based Practices to identify and publish recommendations to improve school safety for use by educational agencies, law enforcement, health professionals, and the general public.
