Reid to Add Criminalization of Private Sales to Senate Gun Control Bill

The Hill reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will include criminalization of private firearm sales to the gun control bill that will be considered in the Senate in April.

“I hope negotiations will continue over the upcoming break to reach a bipartisan compromise on background checks, and I am hopeful that they will succeed. If a compromise is reached, I am open to including it in the base bill,” he said.

Senate aides noted that the current Schumer "place holder" background check legislation will not receive 60 votes, which is why Reid is hoping to get a 'bipartisan" bill that can garner the necessary votes to break cloture (the process that requires 60 votes to advance legislation to a vote).  Without 60 votes, basically nothing can advance in the upper chamber.

“I want to be clear: In order to be effective, any bill that passes the Senate must include background checks,” he said.

Reid made it clear that anything that cannot get 60 votes will not be included in the "base" bill but that does not mean other proposals will not be allowed from the floor.

“The bill I advance tonight will serve as the basis for opening debate,” he said. “Once debate begins, I will ensure that a ban on assault weapons, limits to high-capacity magazines, and mental health provisions receive votes, along with other amendments. In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for all of these provisions to receive votes, and I will ensure that they do.”

So, the battle lines are being drawn.  Background checks is where Reid and the gun banners plan to spend their political capital.  You know what to do - call your Senators now.