Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) outside the weekly Democratic policy luncheon April 9, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Win M??
Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) unveiled a deal in a press conference Wednesday morning to expand background checks to nearly every commercial gun purchase.
Manchin called the agreement a "first step" to passing broader legislation to cut down on gun violence.
"The events of Newtown changed us all," Manchin said, referencing the Dec. 14 mass shooting that left 20 children and six adults in a Connecticut elementary school dead. "Nobody here ? with a good conscience could sit by and not try to prevent a day like that from happening again."
Currently, only people who buy guns through federally licensed dealers have to undergo a criminal background check, leaving a loophole for some online and gun show shoppers. The new bill would expand checks to nearly every gun transaction except for private, person-to-person sales. (That's a scaled back version of what Senate Democrats initially proposed, which would have also covered private sales.) The background checks bar people who have committed felonies or have been declared mentally ill by a judge from purchasing firearms.
Toomey said he did not think expanding background checks to cover current loopholes amounts to "gun control." Instead, he said, "It's just common sense."
Both Toomey and Manchin are gun owners, and both have an A rating from the National Rifle Association, the largest pro-gun lobby group. Toomey said he added some provisions to strengthen gun rights in the bill, including allowing a legal gun owner to take his or her concealed weapon over state lines, even if that state does not allow concealed carry.
The full bill also provides more money for school safety and strengthens laws against illegal firearm sales. Proposals to ban certain semi-automatic weapons and limit magazine sizes?pushed by President Barack Obama and other Democrats?have been dropped from the main bill, but could be added later in an amendment process.
Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah have threatened to fillibuster the legislation, which could face a test vote as early as Thursday.
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