This week, four members of the Florida congressional delegation--Republicans Carlos Curbelo and Tom Rooney and Democrats Charlie Crist and Ted Deutch--brought out a proposal to raise the minimum age to buy shotguns and rifles from federally licensed dealers.
The four Florida congressmen paired up with New York Republican Congressman Peter King and Washington Democrat Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal to unveil the proposal on Thursday. Deutch, whose district includes Parkland where there was a school shooting last month, is the main sponsor of the proposal with other members cosponsoring it.
The legislation would raise the minimum age from 18 to 21 to buy rifles or shotguns, putting it line with the minimum age to buy a handgun. There are some exceptions to the law, including members of the military and law enforcement personnel.
“As I pledged to the Stoneman Douglas community, I will look for every opportunity to take action that can help keep our communities safe,” said Deutch. “Most Americans want to raise the minimum age to buy a firearm. With this bill, my Republican colleague Congressman Rooney and I are offering a bipartisan plan to help accomplish this. This legislation isn’t perfect and is only one piece of what Congress must consider. But it represents one more important bipartisan step toward our ultimate goal of comprehensive gun safety laws.”
Rooney, who is retiring from Congress and not running for another term, pointed to the recent gun control measures in the Florida Legislature as inspiration for the proposal.
“Florida is often considered the starting point for gun laws in the United States, and this year’s state legislative session saw the passage of one of the most comprehensive gun control reforms in Florida’s history,” Rooney said. “This wasn’t accomplished by one party’s votes over another. It was a group effort, achieved not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans ready to make a difference for the future of the state. We need to show we can cut through the partisan divide and do the same in Washington.
“Federal courts have consistently upheld the Constitutionality of age-based restrictions on the commercial sale of firearms to protect public safety,” Rooney added. “If you can’t drink a beer until you turn 21, it makes sense that you should have to wait until you’re 21 to buy a gun. This bill may not be the end-all, be-all for commonsense gun legislation, but it is the type of bipartisan compromise on a tough issue that we don’t see enough of in today’s politics.”
“Leaders on both sides of the aisle must show the political courage necessary to improve our nation’s gun laws. I’m proud our bipartisan bill demonstrates that leadership, bringing needed reform to keep our children safe,” Crist said.
“This bill is a common-sense proposal that could mitigate some of the violent tragedies being seen in communities like Parkland, without infringing upon the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens," said Curbelo. "Americans are calling for and deserve meaningful action to ensure public safety. I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort to answer that call.”
The bill was sent to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on Thursday. So far, there is no counterpart over in the Senate.
