The deadliest mass shooting in modern United States historylast week had intensified pressure on lawmakers and spurred quick action, but the gun-control measures lost in largely party-line votes that showed the lingering political power in Congress of gun rights defenders and the National Rifle Association.
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It’s been eight days since the Orlando massacre.
Democrats called the Republican proposals weak and Republicans said the Democratic plans were too restrictive.
Some in the U.S. Senate believe that there’s nothing our nation can do to confront gun violence but enforce existing law, Casey said. But with 54 Republicans, 44 Democrats and two independents (who caucus with Democrats in the current 100-person U.S. Senate), bipartisan cooperation is needed to reach the 60-vote threshold to pass legislation.
“The two are lobbying for stricter background checks and more restrictions on suspected terrorists buying guns”.
But lawmakers in the Senate were still trying to forge a compromise for later this week that might keep firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists. John Cornyn that would have allowed federal law enforcement officials to delay gun sales to suspected terrorists, including those on watch and no-fly lists, for three days and then halt the sales – but only after proving probable cause before a judge.
But the Democrats pledged to continue the fight. Sen.
“If you legitimately belong on a no-fly list you should not be able to buy a handgun or a long gun”, he said. Collins’ legislation also would apply to people on the “selectee” list, which includes those who have been deemed enough of a terror risk to be subject to additional security screenings before they board airplanes. Bills very similar to those coming up for a vote now were actually taken up just one day after the mass killing in San Bernardino in December. And the result is going to be the same; neither is going to pass. I want to get something done, so I’ve been working with a group of Republicans and talking to many Democrats to put together a new proposal.
“I’m mortified by today’s vote but I’m not surprised by it”, Senator Murphy, who spoke on the Senate floor for 15 hours in a gun control filibuster last week, told CNN.
“I’m not anxious about it all”, he said of the gun issue and his tough re-election bid against former Democratic Sen.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., authored one of those bills, which would have barred gun purchases by anyone on a terrorist watch list. Sen.
Sen. Jon Tester broke ranks with fellow Democrats on Monday night in opposing a bill that would close the “gun show loophole”.
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Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho said that enacting new regulations on guns raises hard questions about the protection of a constitutionally guaranteed right.
