Ted Cruz is skeptical about red flag provision in federal bipartisan deal on guns

by Rebekah Allen, Texas Tribune


WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday weighed in on the bipartisan Senate gun deal that is being championed by fellow Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn.

Cruz told reporters on Capitol Hill that he was waiting for the details of the legislation before making up his mind. But he expressed concerns about aspects of the proposal that would encourage states to pass red flag laws, while calling efforts to boost school safety a “natural avenue for bipartisan agreement.”

“We’ve seen consistently whenever there is a horrific criminal event that Democrats’ top priority is not stopping the bad guys, not stopping the criminals, but rather disarming law-abiding citizens,” he said. “If that’s what they try to push with this proposal, I think that would be a serious mistake.”

The tentative deal, for which Cornyn was the lead negotiator, includes a mix of modest gun control proposals and funding for mental health services. It would incentivize states to pass red flag laws, which are designed to keep guns out of the hands of individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others; boost funding for mental health services, telehealth resources and more school security; permit juvenile records to be incorporated into background checks for purchasers under the age of 21; and crack down on the straw purchase and trafficking of guns.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/14/ted-cruz-senate-gun-bill/