Senate rejects gun control background check measures

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/284182-senate-rejects-first-background-check-bill

June 20, 2016, 06:03 pm
Senate rejects gun control background check measures

By Jordain Carney


Senators rejected two gun background proposals Monday evening largely along party lines just over a week after the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

Senators voted 53-47 on a proposal from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) that would reauthorize funding for the National Criminal Instant Background Check System (NICS) and incentivize states to share mental health records with the federal system.

But 60 votes were needed to move forward with the proposal.

GOP Sens. Mark Kirk (Ill.) and Cory Gardner (Colo.) voted against moving forward with Grassley's proposal. Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly (Ind.) supported it.

The Grassley proposal would also have cracked down on preventing government agencies from selling guns to criminals as part of undercover “sting” operations such as the “Fast and Furious” operation, in which guns were sold to suspected gun traffickers.

“Unlike Senator Grassley’s proposal, the Democratic alternative would not help prevent failed gun operations like fast and furious,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said. “Unlike Senator Grassley’s proposal it would not require the Department of Justice to explain why it has not been using gun laws on the books to prosecute cases.”

But Democrats resoundingly rejected the GOP background check measure, arguing it would do little to make sure potential criminals or terrorists couldn’t buy a gun.

“It’s a shield for members who don’t want to do the right thing,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who led a recent unofficial filibuster on gun control.

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http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/284182-senate-rejects-first-background-check-bill

[yeoman6987]

1. I think the Collins bill has the best chance. We'll see. I thin there are 3 to go.

[scscholar]

2. I can't believe those crackpots are still going on about Fast and Furious

They think that happened.