Marija Visinski
Marija Stelcer Visinski, age 81, of Shelton, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of the late Josef Visinski. Born in Murscak, Slovenia on June 19, 1939, she was a daughter of the late Franc and Marija (Kosar) Stelcer and was a longtime resident of Shelton. Marija and Josef came to America from Slovenia in 1961, building a life dedicated to hard work and creating loving memories along the way. Marija was the epitome of living life to the fullest and cherishing every moment. Whether it was her baking, fashion choices, or her endless optimism, the impression she made on everyone lasts a lifetime. For both new and old friends alike, “Nana” will be remembered as the life of the party and the brightest light to enter any room. Survivors include her three loving children, Josef Visinski and his wife Helen of Shelton, Andrew Visinski and his wife Jill of Sandy Hook and Rozalyn Visinski of Trumbull, four beloved grandchildren, Josef Karl Visinski and his wife Emily, Simona Ana, Alexandria Lynn and Mikaela Lee Visinski and a cherished great-granddaughter, Siena.
A walk-through visitation will take place on Sunday, March 14, 2021 from 12 –3 p.m. at the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull. Visitors are asked to wear masks and social distance as they walk through, pay their respects, and exit without lingering to ensure all guests can come through the building. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 15, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. directly in Holy Cross Church, 750 Tahmore Dr., Fairfield. Masks are required at all times in Church. Burial will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Trumbull. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Holy Cross Church in Marija’s memory. To leave an online condolence, visit us at www.abriola.com.
WASHINGTON — Emboldened by their majorities in the House and Senate, Democrats are making a new push to enact the first major new gun control laws in more than two decades — starting with stricter background checks.
The House passed two bills Thursday to require background checks on all firearms sales and transfers and to allow an expanded 10-day review for gun purchases. Similar bills were passed by the House in 2019, shortly after Democrats won the majority, but languished in the GOP-controlled Senate for the next two years.
Democrats now hold the Senate, as well, giving the party hope as the legislation will at least be considered. But the bills would need significant bipartisan support to pass.
The renewed push is the latest effort by Democrats — and some Republicans — who have repeatedly tried, and failed, to pass tougher gun control laws since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that killed 20 children and six educators. While enhanced background checks are generally popular with the American public, even with some conservatives, Congress has so far not been able to find compromise on the issue. It is unclear whether Senate Democrats could find deep enough support among Republicans to pass new gun control legislation in a 50-50 Senate, as they would need 60 votes to do so.
Still, the bills are part of an effort by Democrats to move on several major legislative priorities while they hold both chambers of Congress and the White House. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday that the Republican “legislative graveyard is over” and that the bill to require background checks on all firearms sales will have a vote in the Senate.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who has
been working on gun legislation with Schumer since the 1990s when they were in the House together, said she and her colleagues have promised survivors of shootings and family members of those who have died that “we are not going away” until the background checks legislation passes.
“The gun violence crisis in America is a challenge to the conscience of our country — one that demands that we act,” Pelosi said during floor debate on the bills Wednesday. “These solutions will save lives.”
The first bill, which passed 227-203, is designed to close loopholes to ensure background checks are extended to private and online sales that often go undetected, including at gun shows. The legislation includes limited exceptions allowing temporary transfers to prevent imminent harm, for use at a target range and for gifts from family, among others.
The second bill, which passed 219-210, would extend the review period for background checks from three to 10 days. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., introduced the legislation after a shooter killed nine people at a
Charleston, S.C., church in 2015. The FBI said afterward that a background check examiner never saw the shooter’s previous arrest report because the wrong arresting agency was listed in state criminal history records, and the gun dealer was legally permitted to complete the transaction after three days.
While the House bills have Republican cosponsors and won a handful of GOP votes, most Republicans voted against them. During the floor debate, Republicans argued that the background checks would not stop most mass shootings and would mistakenly prevent some lawful gun owners from purchasing firearms.
Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry said the bill would lead to more crime because there would be “less people out there defending themselves.”
At the same time, Democrats are hoping that there’s a gradual political shift among voters that could help them win GOP votes. Sen. Chris Murphy, DConn., who has introduced a companion bill expanding background checks in the Senate, said he doesn’t think
Democrats should just accept that there aren’t 60 votes.
“I just think we are living in a different world than 2013,” Murphy said ahead of the House vote, referring to failed congressional efforts after the Newtown school shooting.
Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who has pushed gun control legislation with Murphy since then, said “what’s changed is we now have a president who can put pressure on our colleagues.“
Democrats also point to troubles at The National Rifle Association, the longpowerful advocacy group that poured tens of millions of dollars into electing Donald Trump in 2016. The organization has been weakened by infighting as well as legal tangles over its finances.
Schumer did not say when the Senate would schedule a vote. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said this week that his committee plans to have hearings on gun policy.
Democrats will “test the waters and see what the sentiment is in the Senate,” Durbin said.