President Biden’s demand for brand spanking new gun management measures on Tuesday was the newest in what has turn out to be a doleful ritual in Washington: making a renewed name for laws after a lethal mass taking pictures, the newest one at a Colorado grocery retailer the place 10 individuals, together with a police officer, have been killed on Monday.
However whereas polling frequently exhibits broad help for tighter gun legal guidelines and particular insurance policies like a ban on assault weapons, Republicans in Congress remained all however immovable on the problem, repeating longstanding arguments on Tuesday that gun violence ought to be addressed by steps like extra policing relatively than limiting gun rights.
“There’s not a giant urge for food amongst our members to do issues that may look like addressing it, however truly don’t do something to repair the issue,” mentioned Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Senate Republican.
Even earlier than the latest shootings, which additionally included a lethal rampage at therapeutic massage parlors in Atlanta, Democrats had begun advancing stricter gun management measures. However these proposals face lengthy odds within the 50-to-50 Senate, the place it takes 60 votes to beat a filibuster.
Home Democrats handed two payments this month aimed toward increasing and strengthening background checks for gun consumers by making use of them to all gun consumers and increasing the time the F.B.I. has to vet these flagged by the nationwide immediate examine system.
The dual items of laws handed within the Home have been deemed ineffective and too expansive by most Republicans; solely eight Home Republicans voted to advance the common background examine laws. The payments would nearly definitely not muster 60 votes within the Senate.
However, Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the bulk chief, vowed on Tuesday to place the payments to a vote on the Senate ground, and Mr. Biden urged their passage whereas additionally calling for an assault weapons ban. The gunman within the Colorado taking pictures was armed with each a military-style semiautomatic rifle and a pistol.
Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican chief, mentioned that he was “open to the dialogue” round gun management measures, however that he was against the 2 Home-passed payments.
“What I’m not interested in is one thing that doesn’t work, and there have been deep-seated philosophical variations between Republicans and Democrats about the way to take care of gun violence,” Mr. McConnell mentioned.
Mr. Biden, for his half, expressed uncertainty when requested by a reporter whether or not he had the political capital to maneuver ahead with gun security measures.
“I hope so,” he mentioned, crossing his fingers. “I don’t know. I haven’t carried out any counting but.”