Senate To Vote On Gun Bills
Two proposals come from Republicans and two come from Democrats. Hirono and Schatz joined Murphy’s filibuster.
that U.S. senators are “heading toward a battle over gun control” after Democrats held聽a lengthy filibuster Wednesday to force a debate on the issue:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell teed up votes on four gun control proposals 鈥 two from Democrats and two from Republicans 鈥 that are being offered as amendments to the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill. But the proposals will need 60 votes to overcome Monday’s procedural hurdles, raising questions about which 鈥 if any 鈥 can get enough support to pass. Votes are expected to start on Monday. If any of the measures is able to gain enough support that could drag out the Senate’s debate.
Democrats support a proposal from Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that would “allow the attorney general to block the sale of a gun if there is a ‘reasonable suspicion’ that someone has been or will be involved in a terrorist attack.”
The Senate action follows a Wednesday into early Thursday led by聽Christopher Murphy (D-CT).
“I’ve had enough. I’ve had enough of the ongoing slaughter of innocents, and I’ve had enough of inaction in this body,” Murphy said.
Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono was among Democrats in support of their聽colleague.
鈥淭his year alone, 6,093 people have been killed by guns in our country,” according to Hirono’s office. “This includes 125 people who were killed by guns in the three and a half days since Orlando. If we stood here and provided 6,093 victims a minute of silence, we鈥檇 be standing here for four days, five hours, and 33 minutes.鈥
that Hirono’s Hawaii colleague and fellow Dem Brian Schatz also participated in the filibuster “at some point Wednesday or Thursday morning.”
