House passes extensive gun bill limiting magazine rounds, raising purchase age

The House voted on Wednesday to pass extensive gun legislation that would increase the minimum age to purchase some guns, regulate "ghost guns" and restrict the number of rounds allowed in a gun magazine.

The "Protecting our Kids Act,"  which the House voted on in multiple parts, ultimately passed 223-204. 

The legislation defines a "large capacity ammunition feeding device" as any magazine that has an overall capacity of "more than 10 rounds of ammunition." It would also create a buy-back program for these types of devices. That portion of the legislation passed 220-207.

The House also voted 228-199 to raise the age to purchase certain guns to 21.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) would allow for the "seizure and forfeiture" of firearms that are improperly stored of "large capacity feeding devices."

A more bipartisan portion of the legislation would require annual reports on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The measure was supported 380-47.

The 50-50 Senate is unlikely pass the bill, as 60 votes are needed for it to overcome a filibuster.

The bill is in response to mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas. The vote came after an 11-year-old survivor of the Robb Elementary School shooting last month testified to Congress on Wednesday.

California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell took the opportunity to attack the GOP while he endorsed the bill.  

"We are in a @HouseJudiciary hearing to pass the Protecting Our Kids Act, and @JudiciaryGOP have already invoked Hunter Biden. Republicans are not serious about protecting our kids. We are getting shit done here. What’s your job, @HouseGOP?" he tweeted.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) criticized the House legislation before it passed. 

"Gun control laws only disarm law-abiding citizens because criminals don’t follow the law," he wrote on Twitter.

In another tweet, he said that "at Columbine, the perpetrator carried 13 magazines that each held 10 rounds. The Democrats are 'doing something,' but what they are doing won’t stop or prevent school shootings."

Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn is reaching across the aisle to work on more moderate gun reform measures.

"I want to find targeted solutions to this problem and protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners," he tweeted.