Posted on 08/08/2019 3:56:48 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) predicted Thursday that gun background checks and so-called red flag laws would be "front and center" in the chamber's upcoming debate on gun-related legislation.
"The discussion is focusing on two things: One is these red flag warnings. … There's also been some discussion about background checks," McConnell told Kentucky radio station WHAS during an interview on Thursday.
When the radio host noted that expanding background checks is supported by roughly 90 percent of Americans, McConnell acknowledged that "there's a lot of support for that."
"There's a bipartisan bill in the Senate, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, a Republican, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat, so those are two items that for sure will be front and center as we see what we can come together on and pass," McConnell added.
McConnell did not say whether he supports expanding background checks or that he would give a bill that expands background checks a vote as part of the Senate's upcoming debate.
The Senate has been a consistent roadblock to expanding background checks after a failed 2013 vote on the Manchin-Toomey proposal. Senators voted 54-46 on the proposal, falling short of the 60 vote threshold.
Five Democrats, none of whom are still in the Senate, voted against the bill. Two of the four Republicans who voted for it, Toomey and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), remain in the Senate.
McConnell predicted on Thursday that other issues, including questions about assault weapons, would also likely come up.
"That will probably be discussed as well. We had that ban for about a 10-year period," he said. "Background checks and red flags would probably lead the discussion, but a lot of other things will come up as well. What we can't do is fail to pass something."
McConnell is facing intense pressure from Democrats to bring the Senate back into session during the August recess to vote on a House-passed bill, which would go further than Manchin-Toomey by implementing universal background checks.
That bill has no chance of passing the Senate after clearing the House with the support of eight Republicans. The Senate's companion bill has 42 co-sponsors, none of whom are Republicans.
McConnell rejected calls on Thursday to bring the chamber back, saying senators and their staffs would use the five-week break to discuss what can pass the Senate.
"We're going to begin the discussions during the August break and when we get back hopefully we'll be in a position to agree on things on a bipartisan basis and go forward and make a law," he said.
The questions still remain, are they proven to be both cost effective and successful in reducing the criminal and tragic misuse of firearms and also do not infringe on the rights of the law abiding?
Suddenly I support the protestors outside McConnell’s house.
“What we can’t do is fail to pass something.””
Frankly, Mitch, this matter doesn’t concern you or anyone like you.
They want to lose.
Complete Border Wall funding to be Attached right??? What about Mass Deportations?? What about Criminal Enforcement for Employers?? Asset Forfeiture for Employers that employ Illegal Aliens??
Hey Mitch, remember the other night? That’s who will be running the government soon. Bye!
Universal Background Checks establish a defacto gun registry. The eliminate private sales altogether.
The left would LOVE to have a database of who owned what. Combined with red flag laws it would give them a list of targets to harass or ‘start with’ should they ever get froggy and the balloon go up.
Any Backround check bill needs 13 gop votes in the senate. ABSOLUTLY NO PRIVATE SALES!
We already have background checks. The media and the lying Rats claim any dick can buy a gun as easily as a hamburger.
I am so sick of being beaten about the head with bald faced lies by these scum bags.
(((YAWN))) It is not only the duty but the responsibility of the American people to remove any government that violates the Bill of (The American People’s) Rights.
Just enforce the laws you have on the books already, and raise the penalties for those who shirt those laws.
They’re not the ones that will lose. They’re on the winning side. Always.
No healthcare worries.
No pension worries.
No security worries.
No worries...regardless of how any vote turns out.
FBI NCIS VA so what other background checks are there? Homeland Security? They keep saying background checks without naming exactly what they’re talking about.
Don’t we ALREADY have background checks..
The recent shooters went thru “background checks” didn’t they?...it’s NOT background checks you idiots!!! It’s police IGNORING concerns
PS: Get a note from your doctor saying that ‘so and so is okay’? Maybe one from your pastor/priest? How about a note from your mom? Or dad?
That’s why they want private sales, that’s the key.
The left will say it doesn’t go far enough and defeat it for us.
Yep.
Yup. They want to capture all private sales.
Record of the seller and buyer.
And what was sold/bought.
They’ll know who has what and where it is.
For when they decide they need it more than the owner. And just because you sold your guns doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. They might decide if you sold 5 you might really have had 10...and want the other 5...
This will be backdoor gun registration.
There has never been a case of gun registration that did NOT ultimately turn into gun confiscation.
Never.
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