The House Recently Passed Two Universal Background Check Bills. Here's What You Need to Know.

A couple weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 8, the "Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021" and H.R. 1446, the "Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021."

H.R. 8 passed 227 to 203, with eight Republicans – Reps. Vern Buchanan (FL), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Andrew Garbarino (NY), Carlos Gimenez (FL), Adam Kinzinger (IL), Maria Salazar (FL), Chris Smith (NJ) and Fred Upton (MI) – voting in favor of the legislation. Democrat Jared Golden (ME) voted against the bill.

H.R. 1446 passed 219 to 210, with two Republicans – Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) and Chris Smith (NJ) – voting in favor of the legislation. Democrats Ron Kind (WI) and Jared Golden (ME) voted down their party's bill. 

Both bills are commonly referred to as "universal background checks" and are designed to close the so-called "Charleston loophole."