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| Gun control hopes fade as Joe Manchin admits: 'We will not get the votes today' | Gun control hopes fade as Joe Manchin admits: 'We will not get the votes today' |
| (25 days later) | |
| National efforts to introduce tougher gun controls measures in the wake of the Newtown school shooting risked grinding to a halt on Wednesday as senators faced an uphill task passing even a watered-down compromise bill to expand background checks. | National efforts to introduce tougher gun controls measures in the wake of the Newtown school shooting risked grinding to a halt on Wednesday as senators faced an uphill task passing even a watered-down compromise bill to expand background checks. |
| Pat Toomey, a Republican from Pennsylvania, and Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, had hoped their proposed compromise deal to include gun shows and online sales in the federal background-check system would garner enough support among moderates to clear the Senate. | Pat Toomey, a Republican from Pennsylvania, and Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, had hoped their proposed compromise deal to include gun shows and online sales in the federal background-check system would garner enough support among moderates to clear the Senate. |
| But a number of Republicans who initially rebelled against their party leadership, and voted in favour of allowing the debate to take place, have since indicated they will not vote for the crucial amendment. | But a number of Republicans who initially rebelled against their party leadership, and voted in favour of allowing the debate to take place, have since indicated they will not vote for the crucial amendment. |
| Despite conceding he may not have the 60 votes needed to prevent further procedural opposition, Senate majority leader Harry Reid has now announced he will hold a vote on the Manchin-Toomey amendment at 4pm on Wednesday. | Despite conceding he may not have the 60 votes needed to prevent further procedural opposition, Senate majority leader Harry Reid has now announced he will hold a vote on the Manchin-Toomey amendment at 4pm on Wednesday. |
| "It's time to vote," announced Reid last night, a move that may prove to be more about embarrassing Senate Republicans into blocking the amendment with a filibuster than reflecting serious hopes of it passing. | "It's time to vote," announced Reid last night, a move that may prove to be more about embarrassing Senate Republicans into blocking the amendment with a filibuster than reflecting serious hopes of it passing. |
| Senator Manchin was gloomier still on Wednesday morning, telling NBC: "We will not get the votes today." | Senator Manchin was gloomier still on Wednesday morning, telling NBC: "We will not get the votes today." |
| Manchin, who was working the phones until midnight and again at 6am Wednesday, hopes to try again in future, but his attempt to compromise with Republicans on this limited gun control measure may mark the high water mark in efforts to use the momentum caused by Newtown to change US gun culture. | Manchin, who was working the phones until midnight and again at 6am Wednesday, hopes to try again in future, but his attempt to compromise with Republicans on this limited gun control measure may mark the high water mark in efforts to use the momentum caused by Newtown to change US gun culture. |
| Senators have heard passionate pleas from families of the Newtown victims who flew to Washington with President Obama on Air Force One to press their case. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was severely injured in a gun attack in Tucson in 2011, has also been meeting Senate colleagues to try to convince them that the background check deal did not infringe second-amendment gun rights. | Senators have heard passionate pleas from families of the Newtown victims who flew to Washington with President Obama on Air Force One to press their case. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was severely injured in a gun attack in Tucson in 2011, has also been meeting Senate colleagues to try to convince them that the background check deal did not infringe second-amendment gun rights. |
| Even if passed, the measure would fall far short of the package of reforms urged by Obama in the weeks after Newtown, which including restoring a Clinton-era ban on assault weapons and limiting the size of magazine clips. | Even if passed, the measure would fall far short of the package of reforms urged by Obama in the weeks after Newtown, which including restoring a Clinton-era ban on assault weapons and limiting the size of magazine clips. |
| Using executive orders, Obama was able to announce a few limited measures in January, such as new funding for research into violence, but anything lasting requires breaking through Republican opposition in Congress. | Using executive orders, Obama was able to announce a few limited measures in January, such as new funding for research into violence, but anything lasting requires breaking through Republican opposition in Congress. |
| Some states, such as New York and Connecticut, have tightened gun laws in the wake of Newtown, but almost as many have acted to loosen them, according to a recent Wall Street Journal study, making it hard to achieve any national solution through state legislation. | Some states, such as New York and Connecticut, have tightened gun laws in the wake of Newtown, but almost as many have acted to loosen them, according to a recent Wall Street Journal study, making it hard to achieve any national solution through state legislation. |
| Opposition in Congress has been bolstered by fierce lobbying by the National Rifle Association, which raised record amounts of money in the months after Newtown to lobby politicians, and has threatened political retribution against any that voted for the Toomey-Manchin proposal. | Opposition in Congress has been bolstered by fierce lobbying by the National Rifle Association, which raised record amounts of money in the months after Newtown to lobby politicians, and has threatened political retribution against any that voted for the Toomey-Manchin proposal. |
| Republican opponents of expanded background checks outlined alternative proposals on Wednesday which they said would target violent criminals rather than "hit the rights of law abiding citizens" | Republican opponents of expanded background checks outlined alternative proposals on Wednesday which they said would target violent criminals rather than "hit the rights of law abiding citizens" |
| Senators Chuck Grassley, Ted Cruz, Lindsay Graham and Dan Coats appeared before reporters ahead of Wednesday afternoon's vote to unveil a substitute measure, which they said had the support of at least 20 colleagues and, crucially, the National Rifle Assocation. | Senators Chuck Grassley, Ted Cruz, Lindsay Graham and Dan Coats appeared before reporters ahead of Wednesday afternoon's vote to unveil a substitute measure, which they said had the support of at least 20 colleagues and, crucially, the National Rifle Assocation. |
| It would provide more money for prosecutions of gun offenders, extra funding for school safety and encourage states to pass mental health records onto a federal database. | It would provide more money for prosecutions of gun offenders, extra funding for school safety and encourage states to pass mental health records onto a federal database. |
| The proposal would actually relax gun controls, by making it easier for gun owners to transport guns across state lines. | The proposal would actually relax gun controls, by making it easier for gun owners to transport guns across state lines. |
| There was a triumphant tone to press conference as Republicans are increasingly confident that proposals to expand background checks will fail in the Senate later on Wednesday. "It's all talk and no action by this administration," said Cruz. "They tried to make political points and it is going to go down." | There was a triumphant tone to press conference as Republicans are increasingly confident that proposals to expand background checks will fail in the Senate later on Wednesday. "It's all talk and no action by this administration," said Cruz. "They tried to make political points and it is going to go down." |
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