Senate Votes Won't End Election-Year Stalemate On Guns
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Democrats get their long-sought votes on gun control after the massacre in Orlando, but election-year politics ensure no changes in the nation's laws.
Democrats are expected to vote Monday to block two Republican amendments, saying they don't do enough. Republicans are expected to block two Democratic amendments, saying they threaten the rights of gun owners.
The votes are the result of a deal after Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut filibustered for almost 15 hours Wednesday and Thursday in response to the shSeooting that killed 49 people and wounded 53.
Murphy yielded the floor Thursday just after 2 a.m., saying Republican leaders had promised votes on amendments to expand background checks and ban gun sales to suspected terrorists. The two Republican amendments are alternatives to the Democratic proposals.
"We should be making our gun laws less full of Swiss cheese holes so that future killings don't happen," Murphy said.
Democratic New York Sen. Charles Schumer supports the so-called "no fly, no buy" amendment which would prevent any known or suspected terrorist on the from purchasing firearms or explosives.
"The idea that a would-be terrorist, someone the FBI suspects of terrorism, can't fly on a plane, but can walk into a gun store and get a gun, no questions asked, is a disgrace," he said.
In his weekly address Saturday, President Barack Obama railed against inaction by Congress and reiterated his call for gun reform.
"Time and again, we've observed moments of silence for victims of terror and gun violence," he said. "Too often, those moments have been followed by months of silence, by inaction, which is simply inexcusable."
But the National Rifle Association has reaffirmed its position that more gun control won't stop extremists or criminals from carrying out attacks.
NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre told CBS' "Face the Nation'' that "the politically correct White House'' is pushing gun restrictions as a way of diverting attention from its failure in the "terrorist area.''
"Laws didn't stop them in Boston. Laws didn't stop them in San Bernardino, where you had every type of gun control law that you could have," he said.
Chief lobbyist Chris Cox said on ABC's "This Week'' that the "catastrophic situation'' facing the country has "nothing to do with firearms.'' He said it's about stopping "radical Islamic terrorists.''
Meanwhile, a judge in Connecticut is also expected to decide Monday whether to toss out a lawsuit against the maker of a the rifle used in the Newtown shooting.
The families of those killed are suing, arguing that Remington Arms knew the gun was meant for military use and should not have sold it to civilians.
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