168 Republicans Vote Against Bill Establishing Active Shooter Alert System – Along with One Democrat

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 6538 on Wednesday night, a bill that would establish an active shooter alert system, as 168 Republicans voted against it.

The legislation aims to empower the federal government to assist state and local law enforcement agencies to create alert systems when there are active shooters, à la Amber Alerts.

Sponsored by Reps. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Fred Upton (R-MI), the bill passed 260-169 with 43 Republicans joining the vast majority of Democrats. Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) was the lone “nay” vote.

Notable Republicans who voted for the bill include, Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY), the just-elected Mayra Flores (R-TX), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), and Nancy Mace (R-SC).

“Active shooter emergencies have become so common that we barely even register them anymore, we’ve become numb to them,” Cicilline said in the House chamber before the vote. “We cannot let this become normal.”

Republicans opposed the measure, calling it an example of overreach by the federal government.

“This bill is about Democrat fear-mongering that guns are an ever-present threat, and we cannot be safe until big government rounds up every last one of them,” Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) said on the House floor.

Its passage comes after a rash of high-profile mass shootings that has thrust gun control back into the national spotlight. Last month, President Joe Biden signed into law a bipartisan bill that enhances background checks for gun buyers under the age of 21, allocates billions for mental health services, and closes the so-called “boyfriend loophole.”

The active shooter alert legislation faces an uncertain fate in the Senate, where it will require 60 votes to advance to the floor for debate.