Gun Control: A Capitol Debate
How gun legislation is shaping up in Congress.
1 / 14
Baby Steps - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid won a hard-fought battle on April 11, when his chamber came to a bipartisan agreement by a vote of 68-31 to allow debate on gun control legislation. Still, passing a bill is by no means a done deal. In addition, there is little appetite for new gun laws on the House side, where the battle is about to start anew. — Joyce Jones (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
2 / 14
The Sandy Hook Factor - President Obama gave several Sandy Hook family members a lift to Washington on Air Force One to lobby senate lawmakers after his gun control speech in Connecticut on April 8. "I might not vote the way they wanted me to vote, but giving them the chance to be heard, giving them a chance to tell their story meant a lot to them and it meant a lot to me," Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia.) (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
3 / 14
Down to Basics - S. 649, or the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013, requires background checks for all firearm sales, prohibits straw purchases of firearms and expands the school safety-grant program. More controversial measures, such as bans on assault weapons and an ammunitions background check system, will be offered as amendments to help ensure passage of the base legislation. Expectations for passage: good. (Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
4 / 14
First Up at Bat - The background check provision is a compromise brokered by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) and Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania) and will be the first amendment to be considered. It expands background checks to sales made at gun shows and on the Internet, but exempts relatives and close friends from doing checks on each other, and requires private gun vendors to maintain sales records. Expected to pass. (Photo: Allison Shelley/Getty Images)
5 / 14
Obama Says - "This is not my bill, and there are aspects of the agreement that I might prefer to be stronger," Obama said in a statement. "But the agreement does represent welcome and significant bipartisan progress." (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 14
Ammunition Background Check - Introduced by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), this measure would require anyone buying ammunition to undergo an instant background check through the FBI's National Instant Background Check System. It also would re-establish record-keeping and reporting requirements. Expectations for passage: Not good. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)
7 / 14
Gun Trafficking - An amendment sponsored by Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) prohibits firearms sales to criminals and straw purchases. Anyone who legally buys a firearm on behalf of someone forbidden to own one because of a criminal background or serious mental health issues could face a maximum sentence of 25 years. (Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)
8 / 14
Assault Weapons Ban - This legislation bans the sale, transfer, manufacturing and importation of all semi-automatic rifles, pistols and handguns that accept a detachable magazine, have at least one military feature or have a fixed magazine that accepts more than 10 rounds. It excludes such weapons lawfully possessed before this measure is passed and protects certain hunting and sporting rifles and shotguns. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
9 / 14
School Safety - An amendment offered by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California), would renew a school safety grant program, increase funding from $30 million to $40 million annually, and require states to match federal funds. The money could be used for safety measures like security assessments and coordination with local law enforcement. (Photo: David H. Lewis/Getty Images)
10 / 14
Sounds Like a Threat - "Given the importance of these issues, votes on all anti-gun amendments or proposals will be considered in NRA's future candidate evaluations," NRA lobbyist Chris Cox wrote in a letter sent to senators. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT
11 / 14
In the House - House Speaker John Boehner isn't making any promises on whether his chamber will support the Senate's gun-control legislation. "I fully expect that the House will act in some way, shape or form," is about as far as he has been willing to go. (Photo: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
12 / 14
Like Rwanda? - "Ask yourselves about a national gun-registry database and how that might be used and why it is so wanted by progressives," the South Carolina Rep. Jeff Duncan wrote on Facebook. "Read about the Rwandan genocide, the Hutu and Tutsi tribes. Read that all Tutsi tribe members were required to register their address with the Hutu government and that this database was used to locate Tutsi for slaughter at the hands of the Hutu." (Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
13 / 14
Targeting Mitch McConnell - A liberal pro-gun control group called Americans United for Change is airing a spot called "Bad Company," which targets Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell using an Al-Qaeda ad on how to buy guns in the United States. (Photo: Americans United for Change via YouTube)