‘Red flag’ legis. emerges as leading opt. in the Senate following shootings

Source: The Hill | May 25, 2022 | Alexander Bolton

‘Red flag’ legislation emerges as leading option in the Senate following shootings

Senators in both parties say “red flag” legislation, which already exists as law in at least 19 states, has the best chance of securing enough bipartisan support to make it to President Biden’s desk in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas.

A number of senators now see red flag legislation as perhaps having a better chance of becoming law than proposals to expand background checks, reforms the House passed in March of 2021 but have sat in Senate limbo for more than a year. Sen.

Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), a key swing vote, on Wednesday identified red flag legislation as a promising avenue for compromise.

“If we can’t get 70 or 75 senators to vote for commonsense protection of your children or grandchildren, what in the world are we here for? What’s your purpose for being in the United States Senate if it’s not at least to protect the children?” he said, discounting calls to abolish the Senate filibuster and pass gun control measures by strict party-line votes.

He highlighted his conversations with colleagues about red flag laws.

“We talked about the red flag. It’s worked. It’s works in states such as Florida. It’s been very effective,” he said.

Manchin also pointed to legislation to expand background checks for firearms sales and transfers.

“Background checks is something that doesn’t infringe” on gun owners’ rights, he added.

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