Republicans Doubt Gun Background Checks & ‘Red Flag’ Bills Will Pass Senate

Even on the heels of yet another mass shooting in Odessa, Texas. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), the Senate Homeland Security Chairman, has expressed doubt about the possibility of passing a gun control law providing for universal background checks. He also said he thinks the likelihood that “Red Flag” laws will be passed is not much better.

He said that a law based on Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania) and Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) background checks bill was likely to not pass this year. 

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump flip-flopped on the need for background checks. He told reporters, “we have very, very strong background checks right now.”

Trump said that a lot of his supporters are skeptical of Democrats efforts to create gun control law, which is why his “meaningful” meetings with Democrats did not seem to change his mind.

“A lot of the people that put me where I am, are strong believers in the Second Amendment, and I am also. And we have to be very careful about that. You know, they call it the slippery slope. All of a sudden everything gets taken away,” Trump added.

Last week, the president meet with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) to discuss gun control legislation. Murphy said that Trump seemed open to creating a bipartisan background check bill that could pass the Senate. 

Trump has not clearly said that he no longer supports a bill for background checks and some Republicans, like Sen. Mike Braun (R-Indiana), are hoping that he will make more of an effort to help pass a bill. 

Although some Republicans are eager to pass gun control legislation, lawmakers predict that any new gun control bill will have a hard time getting the 60 votes needed in the Senate.

Trump could help get more Republican senators on board, but with his fear of losing support from the National Rifle Association and its members, it seems likely that he will continue to resist supporting laws that restrict gun ownership.

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Article by Benjamin Wuersch