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Congress

The gun debate in Congress: From concealed-carry to the assault weapons ban

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The fight over gun control is moving quickly — and into uncertain territory — after last week’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida, left 17 dead. These are the leading proposals in the mix for congressional action, though it's unclear if any of them can find a path to passage.

Bipartisan support

Background Check Improvement

Chief supporters

Sen. John Cornyn
(R-Texas)

Sen. Chris Murphy
(D-Conn.)

After last fall’s shooting in a Texas church, a GOP champion of the Second Amendment joined forces with one of Democrats’ most vocal gun-control proponents on a narrow plan to bolster the FBI database used to conduct background checks of gun buyers.

The proposal, which would encourage states and federal agencies to send more information about individuals’ criminal histories, has the backing of the NRA. It was part of a bill passed by the House in December that also includes controversial concealed-carry reciprocity provisions.

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Bipartisan support

Raising Age Limit for AR-15s

Chief supporters

Sen. Dianne Feinstein
(D-Calif.)

Sen. Jeff Flake
(R-Ariz.)

Federally licensed gun dealers are barred from selling handguns to anyone under 21, but there is no similar limit on purchases of rifles such as the AR-15 model used in the Florida massacre and other recent mass shootings.

Two senators, one from each party, are backing legislation that would raise the age limit for rifle purchases from licensed dealers to 21 — and President Donald Trump has signaled that he might support the move. He tweeted Thursday that he would like to “Raise age to 21” along with other gun policy changes.

Bipartisan support

Bump Stock Ban

Chief supporters

Rep. Carlos Curbelo
(R-Fla.)

Rep. Seth Moulton
(D-Mass.)

After a shooter used a so-called “bump stock” to boost his rifle’s rate of fire during an attack on a Las Vegas concert that killed nearly 60 and injured more than 850, lawmakers in both parties called for a ban on the devices that can effectively convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic ones.

Trump on Tuesday directed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to prepare restrictions on the devices, which the Obama administration had declined to regulate. But that process would take far more time to implement than the legislative bans already introduced in Congress — which are opposed by the NRA.

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Democratic support

Assault Weapons Ban

Chief supporters

Dianne Feinstein
(D-Calif.)

A1994 ban on so-called “military-style” semi-automatic weapons lapsed in 2004, amid a fierce push from pro-gun groups, including the NRA.

The latest proposal to reinstate the ban has support from 26 Democratic senators but is a nonstarter with Republicans and so has slim odds of passage. The bill also would likely face resistance from several red-state Democrats. When reviving the ban came up for a vote in 2013, nine currently serving Democratic senators voted against it — although at least one is reconsidering this year.

Bipartisan support

Background Check Expansion

Chief supporters

Sen. Pat Toomey
(R-Pa.)

Sen. Joe Manchin
(D-W.Va.)

Crafted after the 2012 massacre of elementary-school children in Newtown, Connecticut, this proposal aimed to close loopholes in the gun background-check system and require background checks for sales at gun shows and online.

After last week’s Florida shooting, Sen. Pat Toomey said he would talk to Trump about reviving the legislation, which fell short of the required 60 votes in the Senate in 2013 and 2015. But it’s far from clear that the legislation would come any closer to passage now, especially without an endorsement from Trump.

Republican support

Concealed Carry Reciprocity

Chief supporters

Rep. Richard Hudson
(R-N.C.)

Sen. John Cornyn
(R-Texas)

A top priority of the NRA and other pro-gun groups, this legislation would allow individuals who hold a concealed-carry weapons permit in one state to take their firearm across state lines.

The House passed the bill in December over the stiff opposition of Democrats, who argue it would weaken state laws and effectively create a national gun license. In the Senate, 40 of 51 Republicans have signed onto the measure, but the lack of Democratic support will likely prevent its passage.

Photos: Getty Images. Production by Lily Mihalik.