Bipartisan Bill and Obama Speech to Put Spotlight on Gun Safety

Source: NY Times

Gun safety, just a year ago a third rail of American politics, will emerge as a central legislative issue in Washington this week. A bipartisan group of senators is close to finishing consensus legislation to enhance background checks on gun owners – which may well emerge as the chief Senate bill on gun safety – and President Obama will press his case for new restrictions on guns in his State of the Union address before Congress, where victims of gun violence will be peppered throughout the audience.

On Tuesday, the same day as Mr. Obama’s speech, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold its second hearing on gun issues, focused on assault weapons. Also this week, some outside groups, including the one founded by former Representative Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, will release advertisements aimed at lawmakers who may be on the fence about how – and if – to support new gun safety legislation.(Giffords Eases Steadily Into New Life, and Cause, Feb. 10)

Most significantly, a group of four senators – led by Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, and Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma – is closing in on an agreement over how to expand background checks to people who acquire guns through private sales, roughly 40 percent of all purchases.

The measure would increase the background check requirement and also force states to comply more effectively with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System by speeding up penalties for those that do not.

Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/11...