Though Leahy announced a Thursday markup for a series of gun bills, Congress must address other issues before it tackles such legislation.
Judiciary’s roster of bills for Thursday appears to include a placeholder for a bipartisan deal on background checks. The author of the shell bill, New York Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer, has been working with Republican Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Mark S. Kirk of Illinois and West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III on a potential compromise.
“Well, I don’t think we’re that close to a deal, and there absolutely will not be recordkeeping on legitimate, law-abiding gun owners in this country,” Coburn told “Fox News Sunday.” “And if they want to eliminate the benefits of actually trying to prevent the sales to people who are mentally ill and to criminals, all they have to do is create a recordkeeping, and that will kill this bill.”
Schumer is hoping to include a provision that would require citizens to keep a personal record of their gun sales to other private citizens, much like gun stores already do. Even if Coburn and Schumer can come to an agreement before markup, it’s unclear whether the measure would receive broader GOP support in committee. Any background check bill — in compromise with Republicans or not — would likely be amended by the full Senate.
Leahy has been pressuring members with gun-related legislation to make haste. The longer the committee goes without approving legislation — and the longer Congress goes without doing so — the more difficult it will be for lawmakers to pass anything, the thinking goes. Between the attention to budget issues and the sheer distance from the tragic and politically catalyzing elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn., Washington’s window could be closing.
Of course, the window isn’t that big to begin with, as Feinstein likely can attest. Her effort to reinstate the assault weapons ban has been largely dismissed as a nonstarter with Republicans.
“I recognize it’s an uphill battle,” Feinstein said Monday on MSNBC. “America’s laws are virtually nonexistent, and therefore I think this is a good bill. I intend to fight. I did it once before. If it doesn’t get done right now, be assured I will continue to press the case.”
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