'Good First Step' Norcross Says Of Recently Passed Gun Legislation

NEW JERSEY — U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-01) called the Safer Communities Act, a collection of bills geared toward preventing gun violence, a "good first step" but emphasized more work needs to be done to make the United States safer. The U.S. House approved the measure Friday, and it now heads to President Joe Biden for his signature.

However, Claire Gustafson, Norcross' Republican opponent in the November election for the 1st Congressional District, questioned whether the act violates the U.S. Constitution.

Norcross said that "it is clear that we have more work to do. We have a great responsibility as federal lawmakers to ensure our communities are safe."

Norcross' office told Patch that the act provides:

• More extensive background checks for gun buyers aged younger than 21 years.
• Gives the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) additional time to "investigate potentially disqualifying records."
• Provides $250 million in funding for community-based violence and prevention initiatives.
• Establishes a new, $750 million fund for states to develop and implement red flag laws.
• Bars people convicted of violence toward intimate partners from purchasing firearms (also known as the "boyfriend loophole").
• Cracks down on criminals who evade licensing requirements by breaking the law, and clarifies which sellers need to register, perform background checks and maintain appropriate records.
• Creates federal criminal offenses for those who buy and traffic guns for those who are prohibited by law from doing so (also known as straw purchasing and trafficking).
• Funds children and family mental health services, including $500 million for school-based mental health services.
• Provides $300 million for school safety through gun-free violence prevention efforts, training to school personnel and students.

Gustafson, Norcross' opponent for New Jersey's 1st Congressional District in the November election, called the act "an attack on the Second Amendment."

"This bill [also] ignores the real problems," she continued. "Underfunding mental health care which has been at the root of all school shootings and releasing criminals who access illegal guns and commit more crimes."

The act is the largest gun violence prevention legislative package to head to a president’s desk in more than 30 years, according to Norcross.

Biden is expected to sign the legislation into law, according to a number of reports.

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