[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9863-9864]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               GUN SAFETY

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, yesterday I was privileged to join my 
Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives for a protest on 
the House floor.

[[Page 9864]]

House Democrats were demanding that Republicans close the terror 
loophole which allows suspected terrorists to legally buy guns. We 
wanted to stop that. In the Senate, we are also waiting for Republicans 
to act on gun safety just like they are in the House.
  The senior Senator from Maine--a Republican--has proposed legislation 
to keep guns and explosives out of the hands of suspected terrorists 
and criminals. The Collins amendment isn't perfect, but it is a step in 
the right direction, and I will vote for it, but in order to vote for 
legislation, we need to be able to first have a vote scheduled on it. 
Yesterday the Republican leader said: ``I'm going to be working to make 
sure she gets a vote on that proposal.''
  Frankly, I am an expert about what goes on here on the floor. I know 
the procedural problems my friend the Republican leader has so I 
understand that. I know sometimes it gets extremely difficult, but 48 
hours ago, that is what he said, and we need to be shown a path 
forward. I don't see it, but we will wait and see.
  The American people want us to prevent suspected terrorists from 
buying guns so I look forward to the Republican leader's plans for the 
day. As is the procedure here, the majority, the Republican leader, is 
allowed to speak first. He just wasn't here and his staff said I should 
go ahead.

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