Senate leader says new weapons ban won't pass
Washington (CNN) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that a proposed ban on semi-automatic firearms modeled after military assault weapons has no chance of passing the Senate, but he wants to ensure a vote on it will take place.
The proposal to update a similar 1994 ban that expired a decade later was one of four measures passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in response to the Connecticut school massacre in December.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein will appear on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET.
Reid, D-Nevada, told reporters he won't keep the proposed ban in gun legislation going to the full Senate for consideration because including it would guarantee the measure would be blocked by a Republican filibuster.
The ban proposed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, and fiercely opposed by the National Rifle Association, Republicans and some Democrats would get fewer than 40 votes, Reid said, far below the threshold needed to defeat a filibuster or pass the Senate.
Instead, Feinstein could propose the ban as an amendment to the gun legislation on the Senate floor in order to get a vote on it, Reid said.
The other proposals passed by the Senate committee would expand background checks, toughen laws against gun trafficking and straw purchases, and design steps to improve school safety.
CNN's Tom Cohen contributed to this report.
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Apparently, we haven't paid the blood price yet.
Harry Reid, traitor to the American People.
Isn't it kind of Senator Reid to give Republicans the opportunity to improve upon the NRA voting scores? The best part is that they are voting on their principles, and it's just the way Senator Reid wants them to vote.
You are not able to buy assault weapons now so why would you put a ban on them.
If that's not what you mean then say what you mean or maybe you don't have a clue like most of you out there knowing what an assault weapon is.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Stick commies!
I already have mine...I was hoping it would get banned....now everyone will have one...now I need something better.
"Doesn't even have 40 votes"...HAHAHAHA!!! That means that there are about 18, THAT'S RIGHT EIGHTEEN, DEMOCRATS who won't vote for an AWB.
It would be expecting too much from this congress to act on anything that the majority want done. That is the House, and the Senate, Republican and Dem. They no longer represent the people because probably 95% are on the NRA, Oil, Big Pharma, and dozens of other corporate maggots dole.
Cowards! O well 2014 there will be more Dems in the Senate and in the House that will help it get passed.
After a few more mass shooting , it will pass .
Reid needs to get a primary challenger he is weak, where is the Tea Party when you need them.