Senators Introduce Bipartisan Gun Proposal, but Skepticism Remains

— -- Five Democrats and four Republicans: it’s rare to see such a bipartisan press conference in the Senate, especially on an issue as volatile as gun safety.

But that was the makeup at an event today (four Democrats and one Democrat-caucusing Independent, to be exact) announcing a bipartisan bill on gun safety that its supporters, led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), hope can unite enough lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Collins' bill would prevent a much narrower cohort of people from buying guns than Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s bill, which failed last night. The bill is also heavy on the due process requirements for people on the no-fly or selectee list who want to appeal their denial of a gun purchase, including refunding their attorney’s fees if they win an appeals case. The bill would also include safeguards for dealing with any classified information that comes up during such an appeals process.

Democrats want the much larger universe of people covered by a consolidated terrorist watch list, but Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) urged his Democratic colleagues not to make the perfect the enemy of the good.

“If we're waiting around for the Democratic version to sail through here, or the Republican version to sail through here, all those victims who were waiting for us to do something will wait for days, months, years – forever and we won't get anything done,” Kaine said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a foreign policy hawk, sought to sell the bill to his fellow Republicans by framing it as a counterterrorism measure, not a gun control run.

“If you think we have solved the terrorism problem by passing this if we do, we have not. But we have taken a step in the right direction in an area that makes sense to me,” he said. Graham, a semiautomatic rifle owner himself, might give Republicans some cover.

“I own an AR-15. If you're on this list, it doesn't bother me one bit that you can't buy one right away,” he said.

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) said he owed it to his constituents in Orlando “to try to get something done.”

As the Collins group was hailing their bipartisan amendment, Senate leaders were one flight of stairs below them, expressing bipartisan skepticism about the legislation.

Senate Republican Whip John Cornyn, who wrote a version of the terrorist gun bill that failed last night, said he had concerns about Collins’ bill although the Republican leadership is committed to allowing her a vote.

Cornyn said he doesn’t like the fact that any Americans, even those on the no fly list and TSA “selectee” list, would at any time be prohibited from buying a gun without first having the government prove that there was probable cause to believe the individual was a terror threat.

“I think it's a slippery slope when an American citizen is denied a constitutional right without forcing the government to come forward with some evidence on the front end as opposed to leaving that to the back end,” he said.

Asked whether he thought rank-and-file Republicans would support the bill, he responded, “I assume every senator will vote their conscience.”

Sen. Chuck Schumer, the likely next Senate Democratic leader, also said he had concerns with parts of the Collins measure, noting that the bill would block far few people from buying guns than a previous Democratic bill – the inverse of Republicans’ concern.

“There are some potential problems with the Collins bill – fixable problems,” he said.

But he didn’t rule out Democratic support, although he practically dared Republicans to support the bill, saying that they do, they will be “bucking the NRA,” although the NRA had not officially weighed in when Schumer made that declaration.

The NRA later announced its opposition to the proposal, with its lobbying arm's executive director Chris Cox saying in a statement, "Keeping guns from terrorists while protecting the due process rights of law-abiding citizens are not mutually exclusive. Unfortunately, Senator Collins and others are focusing their efforts on unconstitutional proposals that would not have prevented the Orlando terrorist attack."

“Democrats have always wanted to get something done. The question is, will Republicans, and will enough Republicans, want to get something done,” Schumer said. “And if they do, they are indeed turning their backs for the first time in a significant way against the NRA. They are bucking the NRA.”