Senate Democrats punted on taking up House gun-control bills on Friday, acknowledging that the restrictions put forward by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were "Dead on arrival," according to senior Senate aides.
Publicly stating their opposition to House-passed background check bill H.R. 8, Democrats must find a viable replacement.
A senior Republican aide said H.R. 8's requirement that licensed gun dealers perform background checks nearly every time someone sells or even lends a gun to another person is a non-starter.
Democratic threats to abolish the filibuster to ram through gun-control legislation could alienate Sen. Pat Toomey, a sponsor of the 2013 background check bill, according to a senior aide.
Toomey, a key swing vote in the Senate, said Democrats should put forward a background check bill that reflects a bipartisan consensus, according to the aide.
Other Senate staffers remained skeptical a background check compromise could get to 60 votes but said they could see different bipartisan gun proposals getting there.
He and Schumer will "Spend the next several weeks working with both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to try to craft the strongest background checks bill that can pass." Schumer has struck a different tone, warning that Democrats will move legislation without any Republican support.
Monday, March 29, 2021
Democrats Face Gun Legislation Dilemma as Support for House Background Check Bill Breaks Down
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