A group of bipartisan United States senators on Sunday announced limited gun control measures to curb rampant violence in the country, which was welcomed by President Joe Biden.
"Today, we are announcing a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America's children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country," the group of 20 lawmakers said in a statement.
The proposals include tougher background checks for gun buyers under 21 and increasing resources for states to keep weapons out of the hands of people who are dangerous to others or themselves.
Biden praised the limited proposals from senators on curbing gun violence as "important steps," while noting that they fell short of his calls for more radical change.
"Obviously, it does not do everything that I think is needed, but it reflects important steps in the right direction, and would be the most significant gun safety legislation to pass Congress in decades," Biden said in a statement.
Biden had called for more far-reaching measures, including a ban on assault rifles or at least an increase in the age at which they can be purchased, after recent shootings including at an elementary school in Texas in which 19 children and two teachers were killed.
He had also urged lawmakers to ban high-capacity magazines, mandate safe storage of firearms, and allow gun manufacturers to be held liable for crimes committed with their products.
Frequent mass shootings
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi welcomed the Senate agreement, saying that while more is needed, including universal background checks and bans on high-capacity magazines, "this package will take steps to save lives."
Frequent mass shootings have led to widespread outrage in the U.S., where a majority of people support tighter gun laws, but opposition from many Republican lawmakers and voters has long been a hurdle to major changes.
A strong opponent of tougher measures is the National Rifle Association (NRA), which has been weakened by scandals and was hit by a lawsuit from New York state's attorney general, but still wields considerable influence.
"The media, leftist politicians, and gun-hating activists are bullying NRA members and gun owners because they want us to give up. We won't bend a knee," the lobby tweeted on Saturday.
That day, thousands of people took to the streets across the U.S. to push for action on gun violence, which has killed more than 19,400 people in the country so far this year, more than half of them suicides, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
"The will of the American people is being subverted by a minority," 63-year-old protester Cynthia Martins said during a demonstration Saturday in Washington.
"Hand wringing is not going to do anything – you have to make your voice heard."