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ECLECTIC RANT: Yet another failed attempt at reasonable gun control legislation

Ralph E. Stone
Friday July 01, 2016 - 11:42:00 AM

U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy (D.CT) filibustered in the Senate for 15 hours in an effort to move forward gun safety policy. On June 20, the Senate, as expected, failed to pass four gun-control related measures in the aftermath of the Orlando nightclub massacre. The four measures - - two by Democrats and two weaker ones by Republicans -- included: 

A bill to enhance universal background checks, closing the loophole which allows people to buy weapons at gun shows without any checks; 

A bill to ban suspects on terrorism watch lists from buying guns; 

A bill that would allow the US Attorney General to delay a gun purchase by a known or suspected terrorist, but law enforcement would need to determine the charge within three days; and 

A bill that would alert the FBI of terrorism suspects who have purchased a gun, without blocking the purchase outright.  

The obvious omission was a renewal of the Federal Assault Weapons ban that expired in 2004. As you remember, Omar Mateen, the Orlando shooter, used a .233-caliber AR-15-type assault rifle that he could not have purchased if the ban had been in effect. 

It didn't seem to matter that the Orlando shooting was the 133rd in the U.S. in 2016. It was the 15th mass shooting in Florida this year, and the fourth in Orlando or that a latest CNN/ORC poll shows that 55% of Americans favor stricter gun control laws.  

Unfortunately, no reasonable gun control legislation will pass in this Congress, but at least we know who voted for and against this legislation and we can vote accordingly this November.