The massive government funding package, which Congress will vote on by the end of this week, is not expected to have any new gun-control measures, but it will most likely include funding for stronger background checks for gun purchases, a senior GOP source told the Hill.
Congressional leaders intend to include a bipartisan measure called Fix National Instant Criminal Background System, which addresses the thoroughness of gun-purchase background checks by encouraging state use of criminal databases. Officials also decided to provide additional funding for increased school safety measures, “designed to spot signs of potential gun violence and beef up school security,” according to the Hill.
Fix NICS, proposed in 2017, amends previous gun violence acts to include more thorough recording processes and “comply with an implementation plan to maximize record submissions and verify their accuracy.” However, the bill has come to a standstill in the Senate since December, after it was paired with controversial concealed carry legislation.
Many congressional leaders support the bill, but controversy lies in its language, which Democrats say “doesn’t go far enough to address gun violence.” House conservatives have expressed concerns around the separation of the bill from concealed carry legislation, according to the Hill.
