What hopes for gun reform now Republicans have House control?

In recent years, the US has seen a flurry of activity at the state level to combat gun violence, which the American Public Health Associations has classified as an epidemic. According to the Gun Violence Archive, guns claimed the lives of more than 44,000 Americans in 2022, including 24,000 who died by suicide. Gun safety groups say passing new laws like the Illinois assault weapons ban will become even more crucial in the coming months to address this issue: with Republicans now in control of the House of Representatives, the prospects for enacting additional federal gun legislation in the near future appear bleak.

Republicans regained their majority in the House this month on the heels of one of the most successful years for the gun safety movement in decades. Last June, Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which expanded background checks for the youngest gun buyers and provided funding for mental health and violence intervention programs, among other initiatives. The passage of the BSCA marked the first time in nearly 30 years that the US Congress approved a major gun safety bill.

While advocacy press for more action at the state and federal levels, Americans continue to grapple with the daily reality of gun violence. According to Everytown, more than 110 Americans are killed with guns every day, and more than 200 are shot and wounded.

Gun owners also make up a growing share of the US population, although they still represent a minority. Americans have bought roughly 150m firearms since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. One recent study found that an estimated 6 million Americans carried a loaded handgun on a daily basis in 2019, compared to 3 million who said the same in 2015.