DELMARVA- By a vote of 234 to 193, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the "Bipartisan Safer Communities Act" Friday afternoon.
The bill would provide grants to states for "Red Flag" laws, add juvenile records to background checks, and nix the "boyfriend loophole" to keep guns away from dating partners convicted of abuse.
Maryland Congressman Andy Harris (R- MD01) voted against it as he believes this bill was rushed despite recent shootings.
"There is still issues unresolved on whether or not people's due process rights were being violated with regards to taking guns away from citizens and for that reason I voted against it," Harris said.
Delaware Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) says the bill will protect people from others who should not have guns.
"I'm a full believer in the right of people to be able to buy and bear arms," Carper said. "There is such a thing as common sense and the common sense would say let's make sure people that people who pose a threat to us, to their families, to others, let's make sure they don't have the opportunity to get theirs."
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled against a New York law that requires someone to prove they have a special need to carry a concealed handgun in public. This is expected to trickle down on a similar law in Maryland.
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) says this is a huge step backward.
"That law in my view has strengthened public safety," Van Hollen said. "I think more concealed weapons being carried by more people in Maryland is only going to reduce public safety not increase it."
Harris says the Supreme Court made the right ruling and that only irresponsible gun owners should be held accountable.
"It's the people who break the gun laws like the murderer who killed Deputy First Class Hilliard," Harris said. "Those are the kind of people who should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and you shouldn't be taking or restricting the laws of law-abiding citizens."
The "Bipartisan Safer Communities Act" also includes grants for mental health and school-based health and increased penalties for gun trafficking. There is no word on when President Biden will sign it. As for Maryland's concealed carry law, there are no official challenges from the Supreme Court on it yet but there is expected to be some time soon.