All four measures by Democrats and Republicans failed in the Senate. Coming just days after 49 people were murdered in an Orlando, Fla., nightclub in the deadliest mass shooting in the United States in recent history, Mr. Murphy’s stand was eloquent and passionate, and it had the desired effect: getting a vote.
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It also would face a likely hard path in the U.S. House.
The proposed no-fly bill introduced by Sen.
“I owe it to the people of Orlando to try to get something done”, said Senator Nelson. Collins says Senate majority leader Mitch McConnel has assured he her will bring her proposal to a floor vote – although the exact timing is uncertain.
They voted down two competing proposals, one each by a Democrat and a Republican, to prevent suspected terrorists such as the Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, from buying guns. The amendment has gained wide support from both Democrats and Republicans. Four measures were proposed that aimed to restrict gun sales, and all were rejected.
Another supporter of the proposal is SC representative and former presidential candidate Lindsey Graham, who himself owns an AR-15 assault rifle – the same one used by shooter Omar Mateen in his Orlando killing spree. “We want to make America safer”, Maine Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) said. “So if you oppose that, you’re knowingly allowing terrorists to buy weapons”.
A statement from Americans for Responsible Solutions, the gun-violence prevention organization founded by former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, said the Collins’ proposal is “far from flawless and would require work”, but welcomed the proposal nonetheless. Together we reached an important compromise that centers on a simple premise: “if you are too risky to fly and airplane, you are too unsafe to buy a gun”, Collins said.
Senate Republicans, led by Sen.
The gun lobby, the National Rifle Association (NRA), has a lot of influence in Washington, with their support integral to the re-election campaigns on many politicians, especially in the South.
Chief NRA lobbyist Chris W. Cox criticized Collins’ plan, saying, “Keeping guns from terrorists while protecting the due process rights of law-abiding citizens are not mutually exclusive”.
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“I will consider legislation that would actually prevent unsafe terrorists from inflicting harm without taking away the constitutional rights of our citizens”, Rounds said.
