The publication of the text of the bill comes after days when lawmakers bargained for several controversial points, raising questions about whether it will ever be finalized or the effort will fall apart. Lawmakers will now have to compete before the Senate goes on July 4th break to try to get the bill out of the hall.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday night that he would take swift action to introduce the bill “with an initial procedural vote tonight.” He added that “then we will move on to the last passage as soon as possible.”
The Senate is now expected to vote no earlier than 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday on a procedural proposal to begin a debate on the legislation.
The bill, called the Two-Party Safe Communities Act, was passed by Democratic Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Kirsten Cinema of Arizona and Republicans John Cornin of Texas and Tom Tillis of North Carolina.
The Senate’s compromise legitimacy on gun safety includes millions of dollars in investment in mental health, school safety, crisis intervention programs and incentives for states to include juvenile files in the National Immediate Criminal Investigation System.
This comes after the publication earlier this month of an agreement in principle on a bipartisan arms law agreement, which in particular had the support of 10 Republican senators. At least 10 Republican senators will have to join the Democrats to support any gun bill to overcome the abuse and move to the Senate.
It is not yet clear how widespread Republican support for the measure will be now that the text is finalized, but as a key indicator of support from Republican leadership, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday night he supported bill.
“I support the text of the bill drafted by Senator Cornin and our colleagues,” McConnell said in a statement.
This story was updated with additional developments on Tuesday.
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