Florida lawmakers lead effort to up national gun purchase age to 21

By Chris Eger

Gun rights attorneys argue laws dating back to 1631 protect the gun rights of those 18-to-20 years of age while some lawmakers argue banning gun sales to that demographic is needed (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
A group of four bipartisan Congressmen from the Sunshine State has introduced a bill in the U.S. House to raise the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21.
The measure, H.R.5398, was filed last week by Florida Democrats Charlie Crist and Ted Deutch, joined by Republicans Carlos Curbelo and Thomas Rooney. The legislators argue the proposed age-based restriction, which would raise the lower threshold for rifle and shotgun sales through licensed federal firearms dealers from age 18 to 21, is a step in the right direction.
“If you can’t drink a beer until you turn 21, it makes sense that you should have to wait until you’re 21 to buy a gun,” Rooney said in a statement. “This bill may not be the end-all, be-all for commonsense gun legislation, but it is the type of bipartisan compromise on a tough issue that we don’t see enough of in today’s politics.”
While the language of the bill is not available, a release from Curbelo’s office says the measure would allow exceptions

Source: Guns.com