U.S. senators have deal on gun checks
Bill represents a major progress, Obama says
WASHINGTON — Conservative senators from both political parties announced their support for expanding background checks for gun buyers, giving momentum to supporters of stronger restrictions, but it remains unclear if U.S. President Barack Obama can push significant gun controls through U.S. Congress.
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin and Republican Sen. Pat Toomey announced the pact Wednesday. The agreement between two of the most conservative members of each party was expected to make it even likelier that the Senate’s initial vote Thursday to begin debating gun legislation would proceed, despite an effort by conservatives to block consideration of the measure.
Subjecting more firearms purchases to federal background checks has been the chief goal of Obama and gun control supporters, who promote the system as a way to prevent criminals and other potentially dangerous people from getting weapons.
Manchin cited the December massacre in Connecticut where 20 small children and six educators were murdered, propelling gun control to the top rank of national issues.
“Truly the events at Newtown changed us all,” he said. “Americans on both sides of the debate can and must find common ground.”
Despite the progress on a gun control bill, two major provisions in Obama’s original gun control package — a ban on sales of military-style assault weapons and a limit on the size of ammunition magazines — are not even being discussed any more since they have no hope of being passed.
Wednesday’s deal would expand the background checks to cover all commercial sales, such as on the Web and at gun shows, closing the so-called gun show loophole. Private transactions that are not for profit, such as those between relatives, would be exempt. Currently, the system only covers sales through licensed gun dealers.
Obama said in a written statement he wished parts of the bill were stronger but that it represents significant progress and if enacted would make it harder for dangerous people to obtain guns.
“It recognizes that there are good people on both sides of this issue, and we don’t have to agree on everything to know that we’ve got to do something to stem the tide of gun violence,” he said.
Underscoring the difficulty proponents will have in passing the agreement, the National Rifle Association, the country’s most powerful gun lobby, came out against the Manchin-Toomey accord.
The group, which has fought most of Obama’s gun proposals and claims nearly five million members, said the focus should be on improving the U.S. mental health system and combating sources of violence like gangs. “Expanding background checks at gun shows will not prevent the next shooting, will not solve violent crime and will not keep our kids safe in schools,” the organization said.