E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSDisagreement over details of how universal background checks track firearm purchases in the United States has halted momentum on further legislation, dimming -- for now -- prospects that Congress will pass major new gun laws in the wake of the Newtown shootings.
Senate Democrats negotiating a bill to require all gun buyers to get a background check have abandoned discussions with GOP Sen. Tom Coburn, leaving the legislation -- at least for now -- without backing from a pro-gun Republican.
That means a key Senate committee will start discussing and voting on gun laws Thursday morning without a workable, bipartisan version of what's become the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's proposed package of new gun laws.
And it will make it harder to convince a wide swath of GOP senators that it's politically safe to back any major new requirements or restrictions on gun sales.
The blow for gun control advocates comes on a day that former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords appeared at the Safeway supermarket in Tucson, Ariz., where she was shot in the head in 2011 as she met with constituents.
"Be bold. Be courageous. Please support background checks. Thank you very much," were all the words Giffords could muster as she stood at a podium with husband Mark Kelly. Her new political action committee, Americans for Responsible Solutions, is running ads in Arizona and Iowa pushing senators to vote for expanded background checks.
Sen. Lindsey Graham holds a press briefing on Wednesday to stress the importance of keeping guns out of the hands of mentally disturbed individuals.
Coburn, who carries an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association, has been negotiating with Democratic Sens. Charles Schumer and Joe Manchin on a bill that would require all gun buyers to get a background check. Under current law, Americans only have to get a background check if they're buying a gun from a licensed dealer.
A Schumer aide on Wednesday said that lines of communication with Coburn are still open -- but that the senators can't agree on whether private gun sellers should be required to keep records of gun sales.
As a result, Schumer has started aggressively looking for other pro-gun Republicans to sponsor the legislation. Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois has already signed on; as negotiations with Coburn have continued, Schumer has shared potential compromise language with Sens. John McCain, Jeff Flake and Susan Collins.
Having an NRA A-rated senator on board would lend political cover to other Republicans to vote in favor of expanding background checks; that's why Coburn was such a promising partner in negotiations. Without him, it's unclear if another Republican would step forward -- and even Senate Democrats are wary of pushing hard on gun legislation if it wouldn't get overwhelming support.
The developments also will leave the Senate Judiciary Committee -- meeting Thursday morning to consider four gun bills -- to "mark up" and vote on an old version of the background check bill. Schumer introduced the bill in the last Congress, and the full Senate will likely never vote on the language it will include.
Senate Democratic aides say they expect the Senate to consider gun legislation on the floor during the first week in April.
At Thursday's markup, much of the Republican ire is likely to be directed at the assault weapons ban, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Democratic aides expect that a gun trafficking bill with bipartisan support will pass through the committee relatively quickly. Senators will also consider a school safety measure.
This story was originally published on Wed Mar 6, 2013 6:21 PM EST
Leave a Comment:
Ourdoc, there is no such thing as an assault weapon, kindly stick to medicine if in fact that is what you do
It's obvious to anybody who has been following this bill that the hang-up on the universal back ground checks is because of the records, that would be kept on the buyers, and that could lead to confiscation. And under this administration that would be very possible.
No matter where you stand on the issue, you must admit this current, and previous Congresses are the biggest bunch of wussies you've ever seen; they make me sick. Get out the big brass balls and make a decision that you think is right, no matter what your money backers say. It's a ridiculous law, one way or the other, to make dealers do background checks but you can buy one at a gun show without. It would be like saying you can drive on the highway if you have a drivers license, but each side street can determine if you need one or not. So stupid.
That's not the case in most states.
Purchases from a Dealer are subject to background checks, gun show or not.
Your govt is arming their civil servants, social security, dept of agriculture employee's millions of rounds of ammo are being purchased and distributed to CIVIL SERVANTS. Why? Our countries most clear and present danger is our own govt, more accurately this administration. They are in for a rude awakening, the state I live in and many others in the union, will not recognize or enforce unconstitutional laws. A law is only an effective legal instrument if the people recognize it and enforce it as such. Regardless of your views on gun control, are you not the least bit concerned why a govt elected to serve, is arming it's non law enforcement civil servants? Or are you another victim of normalcy bias? Senators are gearing up for impeachment hearings and if were not careful we'll find our nation irrevocably splintered and facing a possible civil war. Think it can't happen? Read your history books kids.
America, the land of retards. You people deserve what you get...and VOTED for. May the boot of the tyrant lay heavy on your scrawny necks. Roll over and take it like the wusses you are.
I supposse, but it is YOU that is complaining and whining, not me LOL
@ Dave shaffer I didn't vote for President Obama, but not all Americans here are wusses!!! No tyrant will ever step on the necks of the American people cause we'll shove that foot up his/her tyrannical a$$t. That's why we have the second amendment. Even if one should slip through ,I won't allow one to step on a fellow American. Regardless if they are liberal or conservative America would stand together.
UP YOURS DAVE. Yes I ment it as a shout. I didnt vote for that POS and am prepared to fight for my freedom.
The question is not whether or not guns need to be controlled, obviously, they do. The question is who should control them, how much control should they have, where do we draw the lines, and who then assumes responsibility for the control or break down of it....Plenty of room here for agreement and discussion....Most, like me believe that absolute control should lie with the owners...Not so many though also want to assume absolute responsibility if their control breaks down....I believe it should go both ways..
In other words, if my weapon is stolen from a secure place and used in an unlawful way by the thief, I would be responsible? You do realize that same mentality could be used for everything from cars to bowling balls and for that reason it will never happen.
So, instead of hurling insults, pushing each other up against the wall, what we SHOULD be doing is working together to stop gun violence, and most gun violence happens when some sort of control or other breaks down, and guns make it into the hands of someone they shouldn't have It really is just that simple. You want to control gun violence, control of guns is the ticket. Hopefully by their owners.
Liability or someone to blame I suppose is foremost, and it doesn't matter whether it is the criminal , only that we have an easy target. If I was the last one to legally sell a weapon, regardless of time, I am responsible for it's use? Excellent logic!
That's too bad... for firearms manufacturers and sellers, that is. Once the FUD dies down, gun and ammo prices will start crashing from their current super-inflated levels. The myriads of mindless gun buyers fooled by the recent hype will glut the market as they start dumping their purchases.
Of course, it was quite apparent from the start that no serious new gun control would be instituted. A few mass shootings, even involving grade-school kids, are nowhere near enough to dislodge the American Cult of the Gun.
Nice job of attempting to sound intelligent while you insult optimist-2618173. Our nation has the largest standing army in the world, of individual lawful gun owners. This fact alone gives pause to our enemies and most assuredly is a major mitigating factor in the safety of our sovereign nation from aggressive foreign nations. In my opinion people like yourself represent a cult of ignorance and self delusion. The world is not like a Disney flick, it is a cruel and evil place filled with people who would kill and enslave you as soon look at you. Obviously you have never traveled abroad and seen the world for what it is almost everywhere but in the U.S. Our freedoms have been paid for in blood, by brave men and women including my family. Best you stay out of the debate and continue to enjoy the freedoms that were given to you by the American Cult of the Gun. You insulting coward.
That's an uneducated statement made by someone who doesn't pay much attention to current events.
Like many anti-gun posters here Optimist is completely unaware of the new Laws Passed in New York, the laws that Feinstein is trying to pass in CA and the laws on the table in CT as well as many other states across the country.
Some of said laws have provisions for Firearms and magazine confiscations.
The GOP wants to survive anoother election they had better fight the president and get him off our guns, get the presidnet back to the economy. The President is hung up on guns and immigration and he ain't going to get it done the way he wants it for sure.
Yeah! So glad to read that!!!
gun grabbers 0
Constitution/Bill of Rights 1
i like dianne,so shut the fu@@ up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gun control basics don't come through my locked door
People come on criminals have and will posses weapons all day long. Politicians dont no what to do they cant even balance a fricken budget let alone debate about what to do about people who are gay and we the people are putting something like this in there hands.
Let monkeys run the zoo and everyone goes bananas!!!!!
Worthless liberal pukes lose again....
This from someone calling himself 'Boozer.'
Only in America.
Ourdoc, not to be personal but you are an egotistical moron. You show me in the constitution where it says I can't have an "assault" weapon. And by the way you use the term "assault weapon" you don't have a clue what a citizen can own because unless you have big bucks you can not own a fully automatic weapon, which is the real definition of an assault weapon. Our forefathers were more intelligent than the majority of our current crop of politicians and you. The 2nd amendment is worded the way it is to ensure a citizen is able to defend themselves against foreign and domestic enemies.
Beware of the liberal gun control lobby. They know they cannot get everything at once so they are going to go after it piecemeal. They want to use the background check to establish a national firearms registry and from there they want to line 'em up just like in Australia and collect your guns. Take a lesson from the recent legislation in New York. The problem is that the liberal gun control lobby has no respect for hunters, target shooters or collectors and so they do not mind lieing through their teeth about their motives or objectives. The guncontrol lobby has been smelling raw meat since the first shot was fired at Newtown. I am one those rarest of birds a progressive democrat who is also a shooter and an NRA member so I know where of I speak. I do not like some of the pro gun rhetoric but Wayne La Pierre is not completely wrong. I don't want to speak too soon but most of the gun control proposals are going to die in congress and no matter what they say the majority of democratic legislators as well as the president will be very relieved. But heed my warning the real problem is at the state level. Watch your state legislature and governor. Keep an eye on local government. This is where the real danger is. Take a lesson from the fiasco in New York. Don't say you wern't warned. Whenever a local official uses phrases like "common sense gun control" or "I really support the 2nd ammendment" it time to find out what he/she really is thinking.
Let's keep our fingers crossed for more school shootings so this debate continues and we have more to post comments about!!!!!
I have purchased several guns over the years. I've had to go through the background checks. Yes, even on guns I have purchased over the internet were sent to an FFL to conduct a background check on me. I keep my guns locked in a gun case and have a trigger lock on the one that I keep in my bedroom (I have a young daughter in the house). I also have a CCL. I don't mind having a background check ran on me as I have nothing to hide. I don't want a list of all I own being compiled, I don't want to pay $50 to say it's okay to leave a family heirloom shotgun to my daughter. I would say I am a pretty reasonable individual. So, with that being said, what mass murder would any of the proposed gun laws stop? If you can tell me how they would have stopped one I will gladly listen. Until then, I am a law abiding citizen that has not committed any crimes and has jumped through the necessary hoops that does not approve of ANY more regulations, laws, list, restrictions on my RIGHTS to own whatever gun, clips or ammo I CHOOSE!!!
You are probably right, however, it is this attitude over the years that is the primary cause of escalated gun violence..so Thanks for nothing...
Good job on the trigger lock.
Let us all know if someone breaks into your home and you ask them to please wait while you unlock your weapon how it works out for you.
srw- You have stated my circumstance and position exactly and I'm with you, excellent post. We will be fighting to keep our rights against those with tunnel vision that want it their way no matter the cost.
Terry- My trigger lock for my home defense is in the same place as my extra 14 round magazine for just that reason.
My key for the trigger lock is in a drawer right beside the gun, my daughter isn't old enough to put the two together, once she is, she will be educated on guns and the appropriate use of one. Thanks for your concern though Terry, but I'm pretty sure my dogs will give me enough warning time.
Regulation is coming. Whether lightning bolt or glacier-like, regulation IS coming.
Progressives like myself would prefer the former but will accept the latter. Patience is, after all, a virtue.
Still, regulation IS coming.
Just like Obama's budget which is 4 weeks overdue?
You think maybe dealing with our budget crisis is a little more important than passing some "feel good" laws that will have no affect at preventing mass murders?
Columbine happened in 1999, five years into the "assault weapons" ban of 1994, worked well back then didn't it....
It's like you think that if you say it enough (in caps for emphasis, of course), it will come true.
The blowback won't be glacier-like.
MSNBCMFE Go pound sand. You are a gutless pos. I wish we were next door neighbors so I could put one of those yard signs up that says my " pussy neighbor doesnt own a gun so feel free to break into his house". Then again, you probably live under a rock or in a trailer park....
When that change comes to your house and assaults you and your family, I bet you wish you had a gun to defend yourself. Better yet why don't you put your money where your mouth is and conduct your own research. Go unarmed into a bad neighborhood seeking peace and love from your Disney land idea of this world, there lefty.
@David Noah-
More like four years overdue!
If what we have in this country is so bad and how we do it is so wrong and it is so dangerous then why do so many flock here to live and 11 million of them illegally?
So why is it that everytime the wind blows we are trying to change the things that make this country great? Primarily the freedoms granted to us in the constitution and bill of rights. If they are so wrong then why do so many want it so bad as to risk everything to get here?
Leave well enough alone!!!!!
Water it down then they can all claim a victory, really doing nothing, and even call it bi-partisan. The background checks should be on all firearms exchanging ownership period and should be registered in a national database. That database should be secure and have limited access. Current gun owners could be exempt until a firearm is purchased, traded, or given to someone,
There is no such thing as a secure data base. Limited access? Are you kidding? You can't even keep health data private. The people pushing these proposals are salivating for the day that they can line 'em up just like in Australia and confiscate the guns. The people who push these proposals are often affluent folks who live in cities or towns with with layers of security. They do not understand the life style of hunters and target shooters much less folks who live is isolated rural areas and their idea of heart pounding excitement is a game of parcheesi.
nytweed, Thank you for being one of those people who can see the truth behind an issue for what it is. You remind me of one of our past congressmen from Montana, Pat Williams, Pat was a democrat and often considered liberal by some.., but..., when it came to gun control the gun grabbers knew better than to even bother wasting their time trying to enlist his support because he made it very plain they would never,ever get it. instead of name calling and personal attacks it would be nice if more people realized like you that this isn't simply just a liberal vs conservative issue and plenty of people from both sides reject a move on our constitutional rights
Redheeler, thanks for your comment. I would consider living in Montana but it's too damn cold. But here's another bit to chew on when you are talking to a gun controller. Vermont which is right next to Massachusetts has the second lowest rate of firearms related crime and yet manages to do this with almost no firearms laws. How's that? Yup you read it right only the most minimal gun laws. They also boast two of the most liberal senators in Washington who try and steer clear of firearms issues. They have bigger fish to fry--so to speak. Part of the current push of the gun control lobby is to demonize the NRA. Well sorry guys that will not work. I have my problems with some of the over the top NRA rhetoric but they are not completely wrong. In New York they were spot on correct.
A regulated firearm in Maryland is automatically registered when the purchase is made at a FFL dealer. Don't see how the Federal Government can require a private citizen to keep a record of a personal firearm sale. On the National Registration, I am all for it IF THEY CAN PROVE TO ME THAT THE CRIMIJNAL ELEMENT HAS GONE THROUGH THE SAME BACKGROUND CHECK I WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH. None of the proposed federal anti-gun bills do anything to curb the criminal element PERIOD and will more than likely not pass in the House and Senate. That is why Obama sent his emissaries out to the Democratic Governors instruct them to push through his agenda in these states. Maryland being one of them. If the Maryland proposed archaic, moronic, anti-gun bills pass, I will relocate to a gun friendly state. I require that a bunch of corrupt politicians tell me what I can have and what I can't. I'm an old man and I intend to live the rest of my life as a free man.
Ain't gonna happen.
Anything.
That would be.
After a tragedy like Newtown there is always an effort to take away the guns of the people who didn't do it--just to make ourselves feel better because we passed a law. The proposed change in background checks would not have stopped the Newtown shooter who stole the guns he used from his mother who he killed; and it would not stop most of the criminal gangs who get their guns the same way. Sanity is finally dawning on the members of Congress that we don't need to pass a law in a panic that really does no good.
I noticed that I omitted a very important word. Should have read:
A regulated firearm in Maryland is automatically registered when the purchase is made at a FFL dealer. Don't see how the Federal Government can require a private citizen to keep a record of a personal firearm sale. On the National Registration, I am all for it IF THEY CAN PROVE TO ME THAT THE CRIMIJNAL ELEMENT HAS GONE THROUGH THE SAME BACKGROUND CHECK I WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH. None of the proposed federal anti-gun bills do anything to curb the criminal element PERIOD and will more than likely not pass in the House and Senate. That is why Obama sent his emissaries out to the Democratic Governors instruct them to push through his agenda in these states. Maryland being one of them. If the Maryland proposed archaic, moronic, anti-gun bills pass, I will relocate to a gun friendly state. I DO NOT require that a bunch of corrupt politicians telling me what I can have and what I can't. I'm an old man and I intend to live the rest of my life as a free man
Well, hold on to those "second amendment rights" for as long as you can, because when all the other ones are gone that's all you'll have left. Personally I think that they should all be held in equal regard, but the only one that gets the most attention is "the second".
As for those who think the government is going to take away your precious pieces of metal that are only made to kill other human beings, when the hell is that going to happen? In some bizarro future? It looks like Skynet is going to take over before then, and I don't think that guns are going to do much against drones. In either case, let the paranoia continue.
Truth be told, the NRA is nothing but a shill for the gun industry, lobbyists for merchants of death.
Where are all the Christians in these debates? You know, followers of the Prince of Peace - I wonder what kind of gun Jesus would have?
I've been around guns and shooting for 50+ years. Never thought of a gun as made to kill other human beings. Been around thousands of shooters at competitions over the years. Never heard any other shooter say they thought their gun was for killing other humans. Maybe it's because most of us are Christians. Kind of makes me worry about people like you who think guns are for killing others though.
@ Eddie Vee I agree, that the rest of the amendments should get the same protection as the second. But the second amendment gets the most press because it protects the rest of the amendments from the government. It is the teeth of the people and should be used when the people feel oppression from the gov. There are plenty of weapons out there that can take down a drown if that confrontation should arise. I don't see it as paranoia but as a " just in case" security because tyrannical oppression is just as likely to arise ,today as it had in the past. As to the NRA, they could be getting money from the gun industry but the NRA is still out there grappling it out, to protect your right to bear arms and ultimately safe guarding the rest of the constitution.
It never ceases to amaze me how uneducated the majority of "Anti-Gun" supporters are.
Eddie, get your head out of the sand and look up the new New State Gun laws.
Or the new laws Feinstein is trying to pass in CA or Malloy/Murphy in CT.