[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5502]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               GUN SAFETY

  Mr. REID. Madam President, this bears repeating: We knew all along 
that efforts to pass stronger background checks and keep guns out of 
the hands of criminals wouldn't be easy, and it hasn't been. But 
keeping America's streets safe from gun violence is worth the effort.
  Yesterday the families of gun violence victims watched as Republicans 
defeated a commonsense proposal to expand background checks. It is 
supported by 90 percent of the American people. It is not some hocus-
pocus. What it says is that if a person is a criminal, that person 
shouldn't be able to buy a gun. It says that if a person has severe 
mental issues, that person shouldn't be able to buy a gun. That is all 
it said.
  Yesterday the families of gun violence victims watched, but despite 
the fact that a strong majority of the American people feel this way, 
we weren't able to get this done. Despite the fact that a strong 
majority of the Senate voted in favor of stronger background checks--a 
strong majority--Republicans once again filibustered a commonsense 
proposal. We were able to get 4 Republicans--4 out of 45.
  Yesterday President Obama said it was a shameful day for the Senate, 
and it probably was, I agree. But we should make no mistake; this 
debate is not over. In fact, this fight is just beginning.
  I have spoken with the President. He and I agree that the best way to 
keep working toward passing a background check bill is to hit ``pause'' 
and freeze the background check bill where it is. In the meantime, we 
will keep moving forward with the people from Aurora, CO, Blacksburg, 
VA, Newtown, CT, and other places to make sure we are able to get 
something done. This will allow Senators to keep negotiating.
  We had nine amendments yesterday. They were not easy to vote on--not 
for us or for the Republicans--and I understand that. But it was a good 
process by which to move forward and get some of these contentious 
amendments on both sides out of the way--or voted on, rather, is a 
better way to phrase it.
  So we are going to come back to this bill. I feel obligated to 
Senator Stabenow. She should have an opportunity to offer her amendment 
on mental health. I feel an obligation to Senator Coburn. He should be 
able to offer his amendment on background checks. I feel an obligation 
to a number of Senators who believe we have to do a better job dealing 
with the issue of veterans.
  So we are going to have time to work on what people want to do before 
we come back to this. It will give opponents an opportunity to decide 
what they want to do when we get back on this, and it will give gun 
violence advocates time to make their voices heard by Republican 
Senators. This option will preserve the progress we have made on the 
bill. We passed a couple of amendments today--we passed a Republican 
amendment and a Democratic amendment. I suggest to the Senate that this 
option will prevent us from having to return to square one 
procedurally, and I think that is good.
  I am committed to ensuring that any bill we pass includes an 
expansion of background checks, closing the gun show loophole, as well 
as covering private sales.
  This afternoon I am going to file cloture on the motion to proceed to 
the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would give brick-and-mortar stores 
parity with Internet-only retailers. It is only a matter of time before 
we bring this anti-gun violence measure back to the floor for a vote.
  The stand of the Republicans is not sustainable. It is a question of 
how long they are going to stand firm, but it is not sustainable.
  I assure the 90 percent of Americans who support meaningful 
background checks that I am going to continue this fight. I assure the 
families of Newtown and Aurora and Tucson and Blacksburg that we are 
going to continue to stand by their side.
  To those Senators who have indicated they want to offer amendments, 
we will be back and try to do another tranche of amendments, and when 
we get there, I hope we can proceed the way we did this week to line up 
amendments.

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