A bill designed to address gun violence in the United States that is expected to go before the Senate after Easter will not be including a ban on assault weapons. Hardly anybody is surprised at this development. From the beginning very few were optimistic that the measure, sponsored by Senator Dianne Feinstein, would even make is as far as the Senate floor.
“Right now, her amendment, using the most optimistic numbers, has less than 40 votes. That’s not 60,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters. “I have to get something on the floor so we can have votes on that issue and the other issues.”
Feinstein herself acknowledged that not having the assault weapons ban would make it easier for the rest of the bill to make it through the Senate and passed into law.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed, because if was in the package, it would take 60 votes to get it out. You know, the enemies on this are very powerful. I’ve known that all my life,” she said. Feinstein did express hope that a proposal by Senator Frank Lautenberg meant to ban high-capacity magazines could be voted on as a separate amendment to the bill.
