“I have also heard the Republicans do clear that while we are not talking about doing everything at once, while we are talking about more gradual but significant changes are open,” Murphy said. who briefed President Joe Biden on state of negotiation.
And sources in both sides told CNN that the push to raise the age to 21 for purchase semi- automatic rifles have not gained much momentum yet in Senate talks as Republican opposition to this idea begins grow, and Democrats aren’t sure if they can win necessary 60 votes break the filibuster.
“It’s not going to happen,” Texas Senator John Cornyn, the chief negotiator for the Republican Party, tweeted. new restrictions on guns though office declined clarify what he meant.
asked last week about raising the age to 21 for purchase powerful guns, North Carolina, Senator Tom Tillis – Republican involved in in bipartisan talks – was skeptical.
“When I think of what I think we’ll take a look at the age you can recruit in in militaryTillis asked. “So there are a lot of them. of difficulties in this matter.
Indeed, even after democratic concessions on gun control, senators say, prospects for failure of bipartisan talks in the coming days are very real.
“There are still significant work do and overcome obstacles,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat. who actively involved in bipartisan negotiations.
Numerous legislative efforts in commemoration of many subsequent mass shootings also failed, including Murphy’s attempt to revive the Manchin-Toomey bill last year by simply closing the so-called gun show loophole and care out background check on Internet sales in general. But despite Murphy’s talk with South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham on cause last year, renewed pressure to narrow the Manchin-Toomey bill never materialized into a deal.
“It’s too broad,” Graham told CNN when asked if he could get behind Manchin-Toomey plan in in aftermath of last Uvalde, Texas massacre.
“I think next a week critical”Murphy said, given that the senators were in home during this week’s break and return to Washington next a week. “I hope we have a product for both Republicans and Democrats to see when we return. And it will give us the meaning of whether we can get it transferred. Every day that goes by I more optimistic. But I don’t think we really know until everyone gets back in town.”
How are the negotiations in the Senate up
Republicans, including Cornyn and Tillis, in negotiation over school safety provisions, as well as ways to promote US mental health system. Senator Kirsten Cinema, Democrat from Arizona, participates in these conversations too.
And yet it is far from clear how a lot of money Senators to propose support for mental health programs. And this also not sure if Republicans will demand what costs of in programs be fully paid for through spending cuts or untapped Covid-19 aid money – what could cause Democrats to riot.
Murphy said he hasn’t know how in group will structure mental health provisions and how there would be a lot cost.
“It’s all about what a 60+ might get votes in Senate and we work on then this will have to be done with expenses as well as provisions,” Murphy said.
This was stated by the leader of the Republican Party in the Senate Mitch McConnell. in his home state of Kentucky on Thursday that he wants the bipartisan deal to “target” the problem, that is, “school safety and mental illness” and that it should be “consistent with Second Amendment – other view From this of many democrats, who see weak gun laws like main criminal.
But with McConnell support critical to determine if a trade can reach 60 votes in Senate, Murphy reviewed GOP leader’s comments in positive light.
“I carefully read everything Senator McConnell said. in in past 48 hours” Murphy said. “And so far I haven’t read anything he said to rule out a deal that is very focused on on storage of weapons out of arms of potentially dangerous people.”
However, other problems may be left on in cutting room floor. Negotiations are underway, including between Blumenthal and Senator Bill Cassidy. of Louisiana, on the safe storage of firearms in residences. But there is also a philosophical difference. on how and whether certain approaches should be prescribed on possession of weapons, according to several sources.
Despite Republican skepticism, Murphy did not rule out deal on ban on 18- to 20-year-old purchases semi- automatic rifles like AR-15 considering it was a recurring feature of mass murderers, including in Uvalde.
But will the Senate agree? new age limits are very vague.
“We are certainly talking about fact that mass shootings, as a rule, of the same profile: young and a man in their late teens and early 20s,” Murphy said. of The Senate speaks. “I don’t know what do we finish up withbut I think that everyone recognizes that much of these mass shootings, as a rule, of the same profile.
Any deal, Murphy admitted, would be “far from perfect.” But he said that at the moment the interest of the Republican Party on the search for a deal has not decreased.
“Too often they will be interested in speaking for in first pair of days and then it gets harder for answer my phone calls,” Murphy said. of Republicans. “That’s not what’s happening this time. There’s a seriousness this time of engagement with cross section of Republicans, which are becoming more and more every day.
Ted Barrett and Morgan Rimmer of CNN contributed to this report.
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