WASHINGTON — Sen. Chris Murphy, who helps lead Senate talks on gun management, stated lawmakers don’t plan to deliver any invoice to the ground that will ban assault weapons or embrace complete background checks however are actively engaged on laws that would come with a variety of different measures.
“We’re not going to place a bit of laws on the desk that’s going to ban assault weapons, or we’re not going to go complete background checks,” Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, stated Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “But proper now, folks in this nation need us to make progress. They simply don’t need the established order to proceed for an additional 30 years.”
Among the objects at present on the desk are investments in psychological well being care and college security, crimson flag legal guidelines and adjustments to strengthen the background test system, stated Murphy.
Lawmakers have been assembly frequently to attempt to hammer out a deal, and Murphy expressed optimism that the 2 events might strike an accord.
“I’ve by no means been a part of negotiations as critical as these,” Murphy stated. “There are extra Republicans on the desk speaking about altering our gun legal guidelines and investing in psychological well being than at any time since Sandy Hook.”
Democrats, together with President Joe Biden, have been pushing for a ban on the sale of assault weapons together with common background checks that will cowl purchases at gun reveals or on-line.
Those measures don’t have the assist wanted from Republicans, however Murphy stated there are different areas that would collect sufficient bipartisan assist.
Sen. Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican who is among the 9 negotiators engaged on the proposal, stated he was additionally optimistic that Democrats and Republicans might come collectively on some measures geared toward curbing gun violence, which might embrace expanded background checks, crimson flag legal guidelines (which might enable a member of the family, a police officer or different authority to petition a court docket to grab the firearms from somebody who poses a hazard), and college security and psychological well being provisions.
He stated half the Republicans in the Senate might get on board with a remaining invoice.
“It feels to me like we’re nearer than we’ve been since I’ve been in the Senate,” Toomey stated on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
