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A remarkable thing unfolded Wednesday, when Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) took to the floor of the Senate and vowed to "to stand on the Senate floor and talk about the need to prevent gun violence for as long as I can. I've had #Enough." Throughout the next 15 hours, 38 of his Democratic colleagues joined him in a remarkable display of unity.
It stands out as a rarity among so-called filibusters in recent years, because it wasn't trying to block something or grand-stand as Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz have done, but to try to force the Senate to do something proactive, to take any kind of action against the epidemic of gun violence. As a result, there will be four votes on gun bills Monday afternoon, beginning at 5:30 ET, as amendments to the current spending bill they are considering. What they're voting on aren't watered down "compromises," though Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) was in negotiations all day Wednesday (and didn't participate in the filibuster as a result) to find one. The resolve of Democrats to resist any NRA-approved bill was reinforced by their unity in the talking filibuster. So there will be cloture votes on these four proposals on the floor, each one subject to a 60-vote margin, which makes it that much likelier none will pass.
Ultimately, Republicans scheduled a vote on an amendment sponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ted Cruz of Texas that would add mental health considerations to firearms background checks. The measure also boosts funding for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The proposal from Grassley and Cruz will get a vote alongside background checks legislation from Democrats, which is sponsored by Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Chuck Schumer of New York. The other two votes will be dueling proposals on barring suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms—one from Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn and the other from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).
The Democrats' background check bill will close the gunshow and internet sales loopholes, sales that now don't require background checks. The Feinstein bill "would bar suspected terrorists from buying guns, allowing the Justice Department to arbitrate disputes when people mistakenly end up on the terrorist watch list." It would also the Justice Department to okay a gun sale if blocking it would interfere with a major terrorism investigation. Cornyn's bill, blessed by the NRA, basically creates a 72-hour waiting period that investigators can use to block a sale, but after that 72 hours is up, the sale can go through.
If your Senator was one of the 38 who stood with Sen. Murphy, send a “thank you” letter.
Democrats are not going to accept either Republican bill. Republicans are not going to accept universal background checks. The only amendment that has a chance of reaching the 60 vote threshold is Feinstein's, as there are plenty of vulnerable Republicans up for reelection this year who are going to have a hard time justifying voting against this one. And answering the charge that they're following the NRA's marching orders.
But that's where Sen. Susan Collins comes in, throwing them a lifeline in yet another "compromise" she's putting together with Republican senators Kelly Ayotte (NH) and Jeff Flake (AZ). Her proposal "would bar the sale of guns to terrorism suspects who appear on either the government's no-fly list or the so-called 'selectee' list, in which individuals are subjected to additional security screening before being allowed to board an airplane." That's a narrower group than in Feinstein's legislation, which uses the federal terrorist screening database. What Collins is mostly achieving here is giving Republicans the chance to vote against Feinstein's bill by saying they'll hold out for hers, which may or may not be included Monday.