Proposed Federal Legislation
The Senate has been voting on amendments to S. 649, the “Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013,” which was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party line vote for consideration by the full Senate. All amendments needed at least 60 votes to pass based on Senate procedural rules applicable to S. 649. So far, none of the proposed amendments have been adopted, including the following:
- Manchin (D) – Toomey (R) amendment to expand background checks only got 54 votes. Five Democrats voted against, and four Republicans voted for. This outcome was harshly criticized by the President in a statement he made from the White House Rose Garden immediately after the vote, the text of which is here.
- Feinstein (D) amendment to ban so-called assault weapons was voted down, with 40 Senators voting for, and 60 against.
- Lautenberg (D) amendment to limit magazine capacity to ten rounds was voted down, with 46 Senators voting for, and 54 against.
- Coryn (R) amendment to require reciprocity among states which issue concealed carry permits received 57 votes.
- Grassley (R) amendment to improve NICS and ban straw purchases received 52 votes.
The full bill is not expected to have the necessary support of 60 Senators, and so will likely be voted down. We will continue to monitor developments regarding the “Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013” as they unfold.
It’s apparent that the President and his allies will try to use the failure of the 113th Congress to adopt firearm legislation as a wedge issue in the 2014 mid-term elections.
President Obama: “… if this Congress refuses to listen to the American people and pass common-sense gun legislation, then the real impact is going to have to come from the voters.”
NYC Mayor Bloomberg: “The only silver lining is that we now know who refuses to stand with the 90 percent of Americans – and in 2014, our ever-expanding coalition of supporters will work to make sure that voters don’t forget.”
Senior Democratic Aide: “We will make background checks an issue in the 2014 midterm election.”
Renzulli Law Firm is Monitoring Firearm-Related Legislative Developments
Renzulli Law Firm, nationally recognized as one of the premier law firms in the country serving the Firearms Industry, is monitoring legislative developments affecting the industry and publishing regular updates which are available by e-mail and on this website. Any questions you may have about these developments should be directed to John F. Renzulli or Christopher Renzulli.