Schumer to offer gun control bill

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday will introduce legislation to expand background checks on gun purchases to gun shows and online sales.

Schumer’s announcement follows pressure from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which said it flooded Schumer’s office with more than 1,000 calls on Monday morning criticizing the lack of a bill.

{mosads}“As the author of the [original] Brady law, Sen. Schumer, of course, agrees that there should be universal background checks,” spokesman Matt House told The Hill. “To avoid any misunderstanding, he will introduce his universal background check bill today.” 

Schumer is generally seen as one of the strongest supporters of gun control in the Senate. But the Brady Campaign criticized him earlier on Monday for failing to fulfill his promise of holding a vote early this year on background check legislation.

“This is a guy who’s not only on our side; he’s one of the great leaders on our side,” Brady President Dan Gross told The Hill. “But regardless of whether they’re Republican or Democrat, an ally or a foe, if we think there’s more they can be doing, we’re going to tell them.”

During a speech last fall in New York, Schumer told the Brady Campaign he would lead the charge for expanded background checks in the Senate.

“If we could do it then, we can do it now,” Schumer said in his November speech, according to Brady. “We are going to bring the universal background check bill to the floor of the senate early next year, and with your help we are going to win.” 

The Brady group was then disappointed to not see legislation from Schumer.

The gun control group also plans to turn up the pressure on Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), who both previously voted against the Manchin-Toomey background check bill in 2013.

“We’re going to be going at them,” Gross said.