Senate Set to Consider Gun Proposals Seen as Unlikely to Pass

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/21/us/senate-set-to-consider-gun-proposals-seen-as-unlikely-to-pass.html

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The Senate is to vote on Monday on competing gun control proposals that gained renewed attention in the aftermath of the Orlando, Fla., killings. But there is little optimism that the two parties can come to an agreement on the contentious issue despite another horrific attack.

Senate Democrats successfully employed a filibuster last week to increase pressure on Republicans to at least allow debate on legislation making it more difficult for people on terrorist watch lists to buy guns. Omar Mateen, the Orlando gunman, had been scrutinized by the F.B.I. for possible terrorist activity, but he was still able to buy firearms.

One proposal, by Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, would allow the Justice Department to block gun sales to individuals on terrorism watch lists if law enforcement decided the weapons could be used in an attack. Republicans have responded with an alternative proposal by Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, that is backed by the National Rifle Association. It would give the authorities 72 hours to convince a judge that a sale should be blocked. Democrats say that process is unworkable.

Senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine, has come up with another plan that would ban gun sales to those on the federal no-fly list but would pay their legal costs if they were successful in appealing the decision.

None of the plans are considered likely to attract the 60 votes necessary to advance, despite bipartisan agreement that those under serious suspicion of having ties to terrorism should not be able to buy guns. “We’re so close on this issue,” Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, said on “Fox News Sunday.” “It ought to be able to be fixed easily.”

The Senate will also vote on competing proposals on stricter background checks, but those plans have even less chance of success than the watch list legislation. No matter the outcome, gun control will remain an election year topic in the Senate.