The NRA has been mercilessly mocked after the Democrat-controlled House passed two bills backed by Joe Biden to introduce stricter gun control laws in the US this week.
Democrats are pushing to enact the first major new legislation on gun control in more than two decades and passed bills on Thursday to require background checks on all firearms sales and transfers, and to allow an expanded 10-day review for gun purchases.
However, the bill will need bipartisan support in the Senate to become law – which is unlikely when Democrats control the upper chamber by the narrowest of margins.
That’s because gun control legislation requires a 60-vote majority in the Senate, unlike other fiscal-related measures which can be passed with just a simple majority of 51.
Nevertheless, the House’s decision to pass the bills has riled the NRA, who have consistently opposed attempts to introduce stricter gun laws in recent years…
🚨 BREAKING: The U.S. House of Representatives just VOTED and PASSED Biden-pushed gun control.— NRA (@NRA) 1615478048
The organisation received little support from some social media users, especially as the gun control group March for Our Lives notes that background checks for all gun buyers are widely-popular with voters…
@NRA *that over 92% of Americans support 🤪 https://t.co/lK9LcQkTn2— March For Our Lives (@March For Our Lives) 1615487127
This appears to be a reference to a 2013 Quinnipiac University telephone poll, which found 92 per cent of voters supported background checks compared to just 7 per cent who opposed them.
So even if these bills don’t pass the Senate this time, it looks like this issue is a losing battle for the NRA…
@NRA Everyone I know owns guns. No one I know opposes background checks. I submitted to an extensive one when I got… https://t.co/YmXPcec01a— Rebekah Sanderlin (@Rebekah Sanderlin) 1615484930
@NRA SAFETY!!! That’s what the @NRA used to be all about: GUN SAFETY!!! Get back to your roots, NRA, and suppor… https://t.co/ISbnFkiRi6— mollyswordmcdonough 🌊 (@mollyswordmcdonough 🌊) 1615479089
That's awesome! Thanks for spreading the good news! https://t.co/Jbz7Br8Xtd— Kristen Schaal (@Kristen Schaal) 1615483872
Finally, some good news from the NRA! https://t.co/PE2gaVyqaQ— Daniel Convissor (@Daniel Convissor) 1615486254
On Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she and her colleagues had promised survivors of shootings and family members who have lost loved ones to gun attacks that they would not give up until the background checks legislation was passed.
“The gun violence crisis in America is a challenge to the conscience of our country – one that demands that we act,” Pelosi told Congress.
“These solutions will save lives.”
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