BAM PLEA FOR SANITY
As chaos and fear consumed San Bernardino and spread across America . . . Rips GOPers for blocking vote on arms . . . It was just another carefree and quiet day at the NRA No-fly loophole law ‘needs to be changed’
WASHINGTON — President Obama called Wednesday for legislation to keep guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists, just hours after House Republicans once again stood with the National Rifle Association and blocked debate on a bill that would do just that.
“For those who are concerned about terrorism, some may be aware of the fact that we have a no-fly list where people can’t get on planes, but those same people that we don’t allow to fly could go into stores in the United States and buy a firearm and there’s nothing we could do to stop them,” Obama told CBS News shortly after the latest in a string of mass shootings, this time in San Bernardino, Calif. “That’s a law that needs to be changed.”
Obama’s remarks came shortly after House Republicans voted en masse for the second day in a row against allowing debate on legislation that would close a loophole allowing suspected terrorists to legally buy guns.
The bipartisan legislation has languished in Congress for nearly a decade. Democrats are seeking to build new support for the measure following last month’s terror attacks in Paris, but they admit it’s a tough uphill slog against a stubborn GOP majority they say is in the pocket of the gun lobby.
“The NRA doesn’t want them to do anything, it’s that simple. And at some point, common sense has to prevail. The safety and wellbeing of the American people ought to come before any special-interest group,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who pushed for the first vote Tuesday, told the Daily News.
McGovern said House Democrats
will keep fighting on the issue.
“What we’re trying to do is protect the American people. That’s our primary responsibility,” he said. “If you want to vote against it, then you go make your case why you want to vote against it. But give us an opportunity to have an up or down vote.”
On a similar front, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada plans to force a vote — repurposing a harassment statute that protects abortion clinics — to keep guns out of some lawbreakers’ hands. Reid has introduced an amendment to bar people convicted of misdemeanors in front of health care centers from owning guns, Politico reported.
“We should never think this is something that just happens in the ordinary course of events,” Obama said. “Because it doesn’t happen with the same frequency in other countries.”
Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.), one of the few Republican supporters of the bill regarding the no-fly list loophole, pointed out that neither Democrats nor Republicans have moved the legislation forward when they had congressional control, though he seemed heartened that Obama touted it.
“No one has really seemed to have the stomach or the will to take this issue on. I’m glad now that the President is now speaking out on it but, again, it’s been there,” he said on CNN Wednesday.
Senate Democrats are also looking to ramp up their pressure on the issue.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has companion legislation, and Democratic leaders are looking for an opening to attach it to a mustpass bill sooner rather than later, though it’s unclear whether there are the votes in either chamber of Congress to pass the law with Republicans in control of both chambers. “That Republicans in Congress want to allow people on the terror watch list to be able to buy guns is beyond outrageous — it’s simply dangerous. Every day we see what happens when guns fall into the wrong hands. We should be making it harder for that to happen, not easier,” Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told The News.
“Keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists is a shared American value. I’m extremely hopeful we’ll work across party lines to getting this done,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). “I’m hoping strongly that we can make that change sometime this year.”
Most Republicans in Congress have proven obstinately opposed to any gun control measures. And Democrats are already turning to the ballot box to try to increase the pressure on them, with nearly a dozen House Democratic candidates blasting their GOP opponents for their votes in press releases. Targets in 2016 include Reps. Lee Zeldin (R-L.I.) and Scott Garrett (R-N.J.).