Senate passes a new bipartisan bill that would enact the toughest new guns laws since the 1990s — with 15 Republican senators joining every Democrat in support

A bipartisan bill to impose new gun restrictions was approved by the US Senate by a 65-33 vote.

The full text of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act can be found here.

The bill is not a cure-all for all the ways gun violence affects our nation, but it is a long-awaited step in the right direction, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The gun safety bill would give new funding to states and tribes that want to pass "red flag" laws, which allow authorities to take guns from people who are deemed a threat to themselves or others.

John Cornyn said on the Senate floor that schools should be sanctuaries for children, not places where they plan what to do during a shooting. The bill will help identify students in crisis and help intervene to provide them the assistance they need.

We can promulgate the best practices, but we can't eliminate human error like we saw in Uvalde, Texas.

Within an hour of the text's release, the National Rifle Association announced their opposition to the bill, and House Republicans urged their members to vote against the bill.

Even with some Republican support, the bill is expected to pass in the House and go to President Joe Biden for his signature.

The White House said that Biden supported the bill.

While the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act does not include additional important steps the President has called for as part of his comprehensive gun crime reduction agenda, it would make meaningful progress to combat gun violence. The administration calls for swift passage of this life-saving legislation as communities continue to experience gun violence.

The framework of the bill was endorsed by 10 Republican senators and supported by Senate Minority LeaderMitch McConnell. Schumer gave McConnell a pat on the shoulder.

The bill was advanced in a procedural vote on Tuesday after four more Republicans came out in favor of it.

The Republicans who supported the bill were here.

• Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
• Sen. John Cornyn of Texas
• Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri
• Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina
• Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
• Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
• Sen. Susan Collins of Maine
• Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa
• Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
• Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio
• Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah
• Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina
• Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania
• Sen. Todd Young of Indiana

A member of Senate Republican leadership came out in support of the bill this week. People know something needs to be done.