Will Senate Democrats’ Talk-A-Thon Get Movement On Gun Legislation?

At about 1 a.m. on Thursday, GOP Senate leaders agreed to allow votes on two gun control bills. “And as we have seen in Orlando and San Bernardino, deranged individuals are using the terrorists’ playbook”.

One would close background check loopholes for gun show sales, but the other would allow the Federal Bureau of Investigation to have more discretion in cases where there is a terror suspect from allowing a person to buy a gun. “You have gun control advocates who believe the problem is easy access to guns and gun rights activists who believe the problem is the actions of a few bad people”, he said.

“For those of us that represent CT, the failure of this body to do anything, anything at all in the face of that continued slaughter isn’t just painful to us, it’s unconscionable”.

In an even longer shot, Democrats are also seeking a background check for the sales and transfer of guns with a handful of exception, a long-holding stance nearly unanimously opposed by Republicans in both chambers.

Republican Susan Collins of ME, for example, is pushing a measure that would flag authorities if someone on either the No Fly list or the Secondary Security Screening Selection list tries to buy a gun.

A spokesman for Indiana’s other senator – Republican Dan Coats – said, “Senator Coats is working with his colleagues to craft legislation that would prevent known or suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms, while preserving due process to protect the fundamental Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens”.

They had gotten their colleagues to go further than they had three years ago, after 20 first graders and six educators were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

“This isn’t mythical. This is the actual fact of what’s going on in a Western state that has background checks”.

Defenders of America’s current gun laws will argue being a suspect of a crime or being watched shouldn’t disqualify one from buying a gun and exercising their Second Amendment right.

But it was unclear whether Trump or McConnell would throw their weight behind any measures acceptable to Democrats. Just 164 days into 2016, and there have already been 133 different incidents of mass shooting in the country. “But keeping terrorists from buying guns – I think we might be able to pass that”.

“By blocking sensible gun safety, Republicans are playing into the terrorists’ hands”.

The discussions began on Wednesday, but when it became pretty apparent that a compromise with the Republicans on gun related issues was highly unlikely, Senator Murphy took to the floor, and remained there for most of Wednesday, and into Thursday. The Chester County Republican added that Congress should focus on funding existing programs and enforcing current laws before creating legislation. Tomorrow. But are you going to have to look those families in the eye once again and tell them that you have failed? “Lawmakers should work together to construct real solutions, like increasing law enforcement’s ability to flag and defeat terrorists”, the Chester County Republican said.

“President Obama… continues to be unwilling to say the words ‘radical Islamic terrorists, ‘ or ‘Islamic jihadists.’ I disagree with him firmly”, Graham said.