WASHINGTON— Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has decided that a proposed assault weapons ban won’t be part of a gun control bill the Senate plans to debate next month,the sponsor of the ban said Tuesday,a decision that means the ban stands little chance of survival.
Instead,Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she will be able to offer her ban on the military-style firearms as an amendment. Feinstein is all but certain to need 60 votes from the 100-member Senate to prevail,but she faces solid Republican opposition and likely defections from some moderate Democrats.
“I very much regret it,” Feinstein,D-Calif.,told reporters of Reid’s decision. “I tried my best.”
Asked about the decision,Reid,D-Nev.,said he wanted to bring a gun bill to the full Senate that would have enough support to overcome any GOP attempts to prevent debate from even starting.
He said that “using the most optimistic numbers,” there were less than 40 votes for Feinstein’s ban. That is far less than the 60 votes needed to begin considering legislation,and an indication that Reid feared that including the assault weapons ban in the main guns bill would risk getting the votes needed to begin debate.
Read More at OfficialWire . By Alan Fram.
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