A key senator says only nine Republican votes are needed to pass an amendment to gun reform legislation that would expand background checks to gun shows and online sales.
Speaking on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Sen. Joe Manchin also emphasized that expanded background checks would not lead to a national registry of gun owners, as some opponents fear, but would in fact criminalize the creation or compiling of such a list.
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“This is not universal, this does nothing to infringe on anyone’s rights,” said the West Virginia Democrat and co-author of the background checks measure. “We’re basically not only protecting, we’re expanding the rights of law-abiding citizens.”
The Senate is scheduled to vote Wednesday afternoon on the measure sponsored by Manchin and Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania as part of a larger gun reform bill.
Other amendments to the bill include Democratic proposals to ban assault weapons, a prohibition on high-capacity ammunition magazines, and a measure to expand mental-health screening.
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