Posted on 04/11/2013 8:54:43 AM PDT by EXCH54FE
The Senate cleared the way on Thursday for an emotional, weeks-long debate on proposals to curb gun violence, rejecting an effort by conservative Republicans to block consideration of gun-control legislation prompted by December's Connecticut elementary school massacre.
The Senate voted 68-31 to open debate on President Barack Obama's proposals to expand background checks for gun buyers, tighten restrictions on gun trafficking and increase funding for school security.
The legislation still faces many hurdles, including a weeks-long debate in the Senate featuring many amendments that could make the bill unacceptable to senators who now support it.
No major gun legislation has passed the Congress since 1994.
"It is a really important start," Democratic Senator Christopher Murphy of Connecticut said before the vote, displaying photos of some of the victims of the December 14 massacre of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.
That agreement to expand criminal background checks of gun buyers to include commercial sales made at gun shows and online was expected to boost bipartisan Senate support for the measure.
The expanded background checks, a provision that polls show has the support of up to 90 percent of Americans, will be the first amendment offered in debate and appears to be Obama's best hope for achieving meaningful gun-control legislation.
But Obama is unlikely to get some elements of gun control that he has advocated, including a ban on rapid-firing "assault" weapons like the one used in Connecticut and limits on the capacity of ammunition magazines. Amendments to add those provisions to the bill being considered by the Senate appear to have a slim chance of winning on the Senate floor.
Many Republicans and some Democrats have objected to the gun-control proposals as an infringement on their constitutional right to own guns.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Don’t blame Texas. Both of my Senators voted “NO”!
Amendment:
“Any restrictions to citizens’ exercise of their 2nd Amendment Bill of Rights applied by this law will also apply to the 1st Amendment.”
they are just dragging out Obama’s Fund Raising Tour
Republicans who voted to proceed were Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (Ga.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), Susan Collins (Maine). Bob Corker (Tenn.), Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Dean Heller (Nev.), John Hoeven (N.D.), Johnny Isakson (Ga.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), John McCain (Ariz.), Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Roger Wicker (Miss.).
Now pulling the trigger speedily is evil!
Watch out 6-shooters from the Old West!
I am completely embarassed to be from Connecticut- but I am proud to say that I voted neither for Murphy nor Malloy.
Who are the so-called R’s that supported the Dem’s? Busterds!
Watching Mitch McConnell function as minority leader in the senate is like watching an old lady herd cats.
The cats wander all over the place and don’t even know they have a leader.
We've got 68 Democrat Senators? I thought the Repubs were closer than that......
See post #6. Traitors, the whole damn bunch.
Just what debate do these morons think they’re going to get from Reid and Co? This is disgusting.
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. - 1764"
I don’t have to look at the roll call to KNOW that Obozo’s lapdog McCaskill voted to proceed. I didn’t see Blunt’s name among the turncoat RINO’s however so that seems encouraging at least in some small amount...
[[Senate agrees to open gun-control debate]]
Swell- We’ve coem to a pointi n history where our senate is ‘discussing’ whther the second amendmnet is valid or not- What next? What amendment is next? in just a few short months- We’ve goen frorm havign the right to own guns to a coutnry where our govenrment is ‘discussing’ whether they can confiscate those guns for ANY reason they like (while claiming someoen on anti-anxiety medications or who has ever takne thsoe meds is a ‘danger to society and therefore not ‘elligible’ to own a gun)
Wow Two out of Two. It is time We voted these two out of office.
It is a sad Day for Tennessee and our fight to keep our GOD given 2nd Amendment Rights.
:-(
Names of republicans to voted for open debate?
Names of Democrats you voted for debate/end cloture AND are up for reelection?
America is so freaking screwed.
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