Senate schedules Monday votes on gun control

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday teed up votes on four gun control proposals — two from Democrats and two from Republicans — that are being offered as amendments to the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill. 

 

{mosads}But the proposals will need 60 votes to overcome Monday’s procedural hurdles, raising questions about which — if any — can get enough support to pass. Votes are expected to start Monday. If any of the measures can gain enough support, that could drag out the Senate’s debate. 

 

Democrats are supporting a proposal from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that would allow the attorney general to block the sale of a gun if there is a “reasonable suspicion” that someone has been or will be involved in a terrorist attack. 

 

Though Democrats argue they have momentum coming off a near 15-hour filibuster on the Senate floor, Republicans are sending no signals they have rethought their opposition to the measure.

 

They argue it is too broad and would negatively impact Americans not tied to terrorism. 

 

Instead, they are expected to support an alternative from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). 

 

Similar to a measure that failed in the Senate last year, the Cornyn proposal would allow the attorney general to delay suspected terrorists from getting a gun for up to 72 hours while seeking a court order to stop the sale.

But it would also let the attorney general delay the sale of a gun to anyone who has been the subject of a terror investigation within the past five years.

Cornyn told repoters earlier Thursday that he was optimistic he would be able to pick up more Democratic support next week, because he isn’t including a provision that would have cracked down on cities that don’t support federal immigration laws.

The Senate will also take votes on competing background check proposals.

A measure from GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) would reauthorize and provide funding for the National Instant Background Check System (NICS), provide incentives to share mental health records and and bolster federal record sharing.

Grassley and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) previously introduced a background check bill in 2013 during the Senate’s debate on the Manchin-Toomey proposal, but their measure failed by a 52-48 vote.

The Senate will also take a procedural vote on a proposal from Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy (Conn.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) to expand background checks.

Their proposal would require — with a handful of narrow exceptions — a background check for the sale and transfer of any gun.

It would also impose penalties for states that don’t make data for NICS electronically available and would require federal agencies to certify that they have handed over all records on any individual that would be prohibited from buying a gun.

Because of how McConnell filed cloture on the four proposals the senators will vote on the background check proposals, before moving to the fight over suspected terrorists being able to buy a gun.

—Updated at 5:56 p.m.