China News Agency, Washington, June 8 (Reporter Sha Hanting) The U.S. House of Representatives passed a gun control bill on the 8th local time, raising the age limit for purchasing semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21.
In the vote that day, 223 votes in favor, 204 votes against.
The voting results were basically divided by party line, with 5 Republican members joining the Democratic camp and voting in favor, and 2 Democratic members joining the Republican camp and voting against.
In addition to raising the age limit for gun purchases, the bill also includes a ban on the sale of large-capacity magazines and tightening controls on "ghost guns".
Since May, mass shootings have occurred in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, killing at least 31 people.
The killers in both cases were both 18 and armed with AR-15 rifles.
Earlier in the day, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing.
Survivors of the Uvalde, Texas, shooting and family members of the deceased spoke out at the hearing, urging Congress to take steps to regulate guns.
11-year-old Mia, a survivor of the shooting, described the scene of the shooting that day.
She witnessed her teacher being shot in the head by the murderer, and she avoided the disaster by pretending to be dead.
"Hopefully this never happens again," Mia said.
US media believes that although the bill was passed in the House of Representatives, it is almost impossible to pass in the Senate due to opposition from Republicans.
Currently, the Senate is bipartisan in negotiation on a compromise bill that would exclude most of the gun control elements passed by the House, but include background checks on gun buyers and increased school security.
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