The bipartisan gun control bill passed its first hurdle, but the fight is just beginning.
On Thursday the US Senate voted 68-31 to begin debating the new gun control bill despite the first attempt at a filibuster. The Washington Post reports that 16 Republicans voted with 52 Democrats to begin the debate, while just 2 Democrats voted against the debate. The debate is expected to last for weeks. Newser lays out what you should know:
The NRA came out with a statement last night saying it is “unequivocally opposed” to the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013, and specifically called out the “misguided ‘compromise’ proposal drafted by Senators Joe Manchin, Pat Toomey, and Chuck Schumer,” reports the Huffington Post.
The public is “far ahead” of politicians on gun control, said VP Joe Biden in a Morning Joe appearance today, per Politico. “You saw it in immigration, marriage issues, you’re seeing it now. The public has moved to a different place.”
Case in point: 91% of military veterans support background checks, according to a survey by one liberal group, reports Politico. Vets also support banning high-capacity ammunition magazines (61%), and 58% favor banning assault-style weapons.
This marks the first time “in a generation” that a meaty gun measure has hit the floor, reports the Los Angeles Times. Senate officials say gun rights advocates plan to take a similar tack as last time: Stretch out the debate on amendments, particularly ones that would broaden gun owners’ rights; hope Democrats running next year in conservative states back them; then hope so many of those amendments pass that gun control advocates sour on the bill.
Photo: AP/Charles Krupa
