Wicker, Hyde-Smith, against gun legislation
Mississippi U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith were not among the 14 Republican Senators who voted with Democrats in favor of moving forward a bill meant to reduce gun violence in America. The passage means the Senate will vote on the legislation after a two-week recess.
The bipartisan bill came out of negotiations between 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans over the past several weeks.
Under the bill, if approved, states would be encouraged to adopt “red flag” laws that would temporarily take guns away from those deemed dangerous. A so-called “boyfriend loophole” would be filled to prevent gun sales to those convicted of abusing unmarried intimate partners.
Raising the age limit to buy semi-automatic weapons to 21 was not included. President Joe Biden and some Democrats feel the measure should have gone further in placing restrictions on gun sales.
With 14 Republican Senators having supported the move to speed up the vote on the compromise, it means passage of this significant gun legislation is possible when Senators return from their recess. Supporters will need at least 10 Republicans to vote for it with the entire block of Democrats in the evenly-divided Senate.
These are the 14 Republican Senators who voted in favor of the compromise hammered out in negotiations and voted on Tuesday:
- Roy Blunt
- Richard Burr
- Shelly Moore-Capito
- Bill Cassidy
- Susan Collins
- John Cornyn
- Joni Ernst
- Lindsey Graham
- Mitch McConnell
- Lisa Murkowski
- Rob Portman
- Mitt Romney
- Thom Tillis
- Todd Young
Both Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith voted against the bill. As expected, gun lobbyists, such as the National Rifle Association, oppose the legislation.
