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An interim bipartisan deal to tighten federal gun laws gained momentum in the Senate on Tuesday after minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Publicly backed a framework that negotiators released this week.
McConnell’s support provided further evidence that the current round of arms negotiations, which began after last month’s deadly shooting inside a Texas elementary school, could have what previous attempts at they had no bipartisan commitment: enough GOP support to overcome a filibuster.
Ten Republicans, led by Senators John Cornyn (Tex.) And Thom Tillis (NC), signed the framework published Sunday, giving the interim agreement the minimum GOP support needed to exceed the filibuster threshold of 60 votes, assuming the 50 members. of the Democratic caucus end up supporting the legislation. Support for McConnell (Ky.) Suggests that a larger group of perhaps a dozen more Republicans is at stake for legislation, which would represent the most significant new federal arms restrictions since the mid-1990s.
“I’m comfortable with the framework, and if the legislation ends up reflecting what the framework says, I’ll support it,” McConnell told reporters Thursday.
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a moderate who often supports bipartisan agreements but also seeks re-election this year in a historic state in favor of gun rights, also indicated interim support on Tuesday. Murkowski described the framework as “quite reasonable” and said it was “encouraged” by Tuesday’s progress. But like other Republicans, he said he would review the text of the bill before making a final decision.
It was unclear on Tuesday when the text would be completed, although key Senate actors were optimistic that it could be done over the weekend: setting votes in the Senate next week, just before lawmakers leave Washington for July. 4 Holiday recipes. The legislation would then be moved to the House, where President Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Has indicated that it will be passed.
“We want to pass it before the recess and we will do our best,” said Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (DNY).
Senator Chris Murphy (Conn.), Who led the Democrats’ negotiations with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, Ariz. heavy work “and that the framework agreement was not at risk. to untangle. “I’m sure we can get there and get there soon,” he said.
But on Tuesday there were signs on Capitol Hill that adherents to the agreement were being careful to make sure no reaction materialized. Cornyn went to the Senate before a party lunch to clarify a provision in the framework agreement that has raised alarms among staunch conservatives: a new federal program that would provide grants to allow states to implement “red flag laws.” allowing authorities to confiscate weapons from people determined to pose a potential violent threat.
The grant program, Cornyn said, would not seek to coerce or even encourage states that currently do not have red-flag laws to adopt them. In fact, he said, the money could be used for other programs related to mental health crisis interventions that have no firearms component, while states that do use the funds to establish red-flag laws would be subject to “a full set of Charter of Rights processes and protections.”
“I do not support any statute of limitations or national mandate at all,” Cornyn said.
Over lunch, Cornyn presented survey data from a survey of gun owners that showed broad support for the provisions of the agreement, including helping states implement red-flag laws, making a group more large number of domestic violence offenders were not eligible to purchase weapons, and including juvenile justice and mental health records in first-time gun buyer background checks.
The deal released Sunday combines these gun restrictions with funding for mental health and school safety that could amount to $ 10 billion or more.
Cornyn also emphasized gun restrictions that were not included in the agreement, such as raising the minimum age for buying rifles, banning high-capacity ammunition magazines and implementing safe storage requirements for owners. of weapons, according to a copy of the presentation reviewed by The Washington Post.
There was a discussion, largely focused on red flag laws, lunch attendees said, and several Republicans left the room clearly reluctant to accept the deal, especially in an election year where GOP support at gun restrictions could depress conservative voter turnout.
“I think we’re more interested in the red wave than in red flags, honestly, as Republicans,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (RND) said as he left the luncheon.
Moments later, however, McConnell gave an unmistakable boost to the bipartisan framework, calling it a “step forward” that “would show the American people that we can unite, something we’ve done from time to time in things like infrastructure and postal reform “. , to move the country forward “.