Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Active Shooter Bill Fails In House; Senate Votes Today On Gun Safety Bill
The Hill: House Fails To Pass Bill Creating Active Shooter Alert System
The House on Wednesday failed to pass a bill that sought to create a communications network that would alert people when an active shooter is in their community. The legislation, dubbed the Active Shooter Alert Act, was considered under suspension, a process that allows legislation to be passed quickly with two-thirds support. The bill did not reach that threshold, failing in a 259-162 vote despite having bipartisan sponsorship — 16 Republicans helped introduce the legislation. (Schnell, 6/22)
CNN: Guns: Senate Will Take Critical Vote To Advance Bipartisan Bill Toward Final Passage
The Senate is poised to take a critical vote on Thursday to advance a major bipartisan gun safety bill toward final passage. The vote is expected to succeed with Republican support, putting the legislation on a path to pass the Senate as soon as this week. The bipartisan gun deal represents the first major federal gun safety legislation in decades. It includes millions of dollars for mental health, school safety, crisis intervention programs and incentives for states to include juvenile records in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It also makes significant changes to the process when someone ages 18 to 21 goes to buy a firearm and closes the so-called boyfriend loophole, a victory for Democrats, who have long fought for that. (Foran, Fox, Zaslav and Barrett, 6/23)
Houston Chronicle: Texas Republican Representing Uvalde Supports Bipartisan Gun Bill
The Texas congressman whose district includes Uvalde says he plans to vote for a bipartisan gun bill that the Senate is poised to pass this week — even as many of his Republican colleagues are likely to oppose it. U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a San Antonio Republican, tweeted Wednesday that he supports the gun bill drafted by a bipartisan group of senators, including U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, after recent mass shootings, including a gunman’s attack on an elementary school in Uvalde that resulted in the deaths of 19 kids and two teachers. (Wermund, 6/22)
The Hill: Rand Paul Vows To Introduce Amendments To Gun Safety Bill
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Wednesday condemned parts of the recently announced bipartisan gun safety deal, describing some provisions as “constitutional deficiencies” and vowing to introduce amendments as it comes to the Senate floor. “Unfortunately, this legislation was assembled as many are — in secret, absent well placed leaks to journalists,” Paul wrote on Twitter. “There doesn’t appear to be a willingness or time provided to read, understand, debate or amend this bill.” (Schonfeld, 6/22)
In updates from Texas and Rhode Island —
Houston Chronicle: Uvalde Massacre Prompts Calls To Expand Mental Health Resources
Despite growing calls for gun reform in the wake of the Uvalde school shooting, a Texas Senate committee discussing legislative responses to the massacre spent little time debating firearm safety measures in two days of public hearings. While senators questioned mental health, law enforcement and school safety experts for hours, the group flew through testimony from gun control activists. The advocates had gathered at the Capitol to call for stronger background checks, waiting periods when purchasing assault-style rifles, and “red flag” laws that would temporarily remove firearms from people deemed a danger to themselves or others. (Harris and Scherer, 6/22)
Stateline: Rhode Island Raises Rifle-Purchasing Minimum Age To 21
Rhode Island has joined a growing list of states that have increased the minimum age to buy rifles, shotguns and semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21.Democratic Gov. Dan McKee this week signed a package of gun measures passed after recent high-profile mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. The package includes bills that ban high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, prohibit the open carry of loaded firearms in public and raise the age limit for purchasing firearms and ammunition to 21. (Vasilogambros, 6/22)
