Senate leaders signaled on Monday that dueling gun control measures are headed for failure on the floor when lawmakers vote on them later today as Congress looks for legislative solutions to a string of mass shootings.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., acknowledged “it’s likely to be more of the same,” since lawmakers are likely to again block measures related to gun control that were blocked in December.
Reid blamed the GOP for blocking two Democratic measures that have failed in the past and are likely to be blocked again Monday evening.
“It will be the third time recently they have walked away from sensible gun legislation and voted to give suspected terrorists, criminals and the mentally ill access to firearms,” Reid said. “Even as their own constituents have been gunned down in cold blood.”
Reid went through a partial list of mass shootings that have occurred recently, ticking off a list of attacks that have taken place across the nation in movie theaters, diners, public streets and a church.
“After these murders, the American people have looked to Congress to stop them,” Reid said. “But instead of getting help from elected officials, our constituents see a disturbing pattern of inaction.”
The Senate will vote Monday on a measure sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., that would block gun purchases by people under federal scrutiny for possible ties to terrorism. Lawmakers will also consider an amendment sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, that would implement a 72-hour waiting period for those on the terror watch list who try to buy guys.
A third measure, sponsored by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., would expand background checks for gun purchases and a fourth measure authored by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, would provide incentives to improve the reliability of the background check system.
Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the GOP measures are “serious solutions,” that would provide more tools for the federal government to stop terrorists from buying guns and explosives.
The Cornyn measure, for example, would call for notifying state or local law enforcement when a person on the terror watch list tries to purchase a gun.
McConnell said the Democratic proposals are being used “to push a partisan agenda” and a 30-second political ad.
