Iowa’s delegation in the U.S. House has voted along party lines on new gun regulations, like raising the age to buy AR-15 style rifles from 18 to 21.
Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines called it “common sense, comprehensive legislation that will help curb the gun violence epidemic.” The three Iowa Republicans in the U.S. House voted no. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, said the bill Democrats proposed was unconstitutional.
“What we saw last night obviously was legislation that they pushed through that will really to little to stop the violence,” Hinson said this morning during a conference call with Iowa reporters, “but again it just targets our law abiding citizens and violates their Second Amendment rights.”
The bill passed with the support of all House Democrats and five Republicans. Hinson said congress should instead “bolster” school safety, law enforcement training and mental health resources.
“Right now I think we need to be focused on real solutions to the challenges in our country,” Hinson said. “The laws on the books need to be enforced and we need to stop guns getting into the wrong hands.”
Congressman Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, also supports the GOP proposal to add security to schools and increase access to mental health treatment. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican from Ottumwa, is co-sponsoring a bill to let schools use federal pandemic relief funds on security measures.