US House of Representatives narrowly votes for stricter gun law
The US House of Representatives narrowly voted in favor of a new firearms law on Friday. The law would prohibit the sale, manufacture, transfer and possession of, among other things, semi-automatic weapons. The bill now goes to the Senate. However, it is unlikely that the Senate will also approve the bill. At least ten Republicans would have to support the proposal in that case.
The House of Representatives approved the bill with 217 votes in favor and 213 votes against. Two Republicans voted in favor and five Democrats voted against. It is the first time in nearly thirty years that the House has voted in favor of a similar bill.
The United States has been rocked several times by mass shootings in recent months. In May, shootings in New York and Texas killed a total of 31 people. At the beginning of this month, seven people were also shot dead in Illinois during an American Independence Day parade.