The bill, called the Active Shooter Alert Act, passed the House by a vote of 260-169, with Kind the only Democrat to join Republicans in opposing the measure. Forty-three Republicans rejected the GOP leadership’s recommendation and voted in favor of the measure. Two Democrats did not vote. The Hill reached out to Kind for a statement on why he voted against the bill. Kidd was also one of two Democrats, along with Rep. Jared Golden (Maine), who voted against a bill to close a loophole in firearms background checks last year. In a 2019 tweet on the one-year anniversary of the Parkland school shooting, Kind advocated for “common sense gun safety measures.” “Taking action on gun violence and respecting Second Amendment rights are not mutually exclusive,” he wrote. “Only by working together on this can we prevent these mass shootings.” Legislation passed Wednesday calls for the creation of an Active Shooter Alert Communications Network, which would alert people when an active shooter is in their neighborhood. It has been likened to the Amber Alert system. The House initially passed the bill last month under suspension — the fast-track process that allows measures to pass quickly if they have the support of two-thirds of the chamber. The active shooter’s bill, however, fell short of that mark, failing to pass 259-162. Kind was also the only Democrat to vote against the bill that time, joining 161 Republicans in opposition. Forty-four Republicans supported the measure in that vote. House Democrats adopt amendment giving DC mayor power over Baltimore National Guard cop accused of drug and gun trafficking with motorcycle club After the bill failed to pass, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) vowed to bring it back. On Wednesday, however, the bill passed after passing the House Rules Committee. A simple majority was needed for the vote. The bill requires a Justice Department employee, selected by the attorney general, to serve as the national coordinator of the communications network. The official will be tasked with urging federal, state, tribal and local government agencies to implement a plan to respond to active shooter situations and prepare a report on the program’s effectiveness in areas where it is in effect.
