Bill That Would Have Created Mass Media Violence Commission Defeated

An amendment was defeated in the Senate that would have created a commission to study the causes of mass violence, including media violence. The vote was 54 to 46, but 60 votes were required for passage of the amendment.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) had introduced the Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act as an amendment to the larger bill to try and extend background checks to gun shows and online sales. But it also had a provision establishing a "a commission of non-elected experts in their fields who will study the causes of mass violence in the United States, looking at all aspects of the problem, including mental health, guns, school safety and portrayals of violence in the media. This broad approach is absolutely necessary to truly address our culture of violence." Still up for potential debate is an amendment by Sen. Rockefeller (D-WV) that would direct the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission and Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a media violence study.