Civic Register
| 3.24.21
![](https://cdn.hosted-assets.com/nextgencauses/ul/q_auto/uploads/akW3yomg/40abce/iStock-1057963324.jpg)
Manchin Opposes House Democrats’ Recently Passed Bills to Expand Firearm Background Checks
Do you support or oppose the recently passed gun control bills?
What’s the story?
- Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has emerged as one of the most crucial votes in the evenly-divided Senate on a number of key issues, and on Tuesday he expressed opposition to a pair of gun control bills recently passed by House Democrats and backed by President Joe Biden.
- Manchin, who in the past worked on a bipartisan proposal that fell short of getting 60 votes in the Senate, was asked whether he is in favor of House Democrats’ bills and responded:
“What the House passed? No, I don’t support what the House passed. Not at all... I come from a gun culture, and I’m a law-abiding gun owner who would do the right thing... House bills are going to come over no matter what, okay? But we’re going to try to do the responsible, reasonable thing.”
- Manchin added, “I’m still basically where Pat Toomey and I have been: The most reasonable responsible piece of gun legislation called Gun Sense, which is basically saying that commercial transactions should be background checked. Commercial, you don’t know a person. If I know a person, no.”
- A few months after the 2013 mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, Manchin and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) introduced an amendment to a gun control proposal that would have required states to improve their reporting of criminal and mental health records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS); required background checks on sales by non-commercial firearms dealers at gun shows or over the Internet; and exempted firearm sales between private individuals from the background check mandate.
- Additionally, Manchin-Toomey would have prohibited the creation of a national firearms registry; allowed the interstate sale and transportation of unloaded firearms; shortened the amount of time a commercial dealer must wait for a completed background check from three business days to 48 hours (and to 24 hours after four years to allow NICS improvements to take hold); and created a commission to study the causes of violence.
- The Manchin-Toomey amendment of 2013 had the support of 55 senators (including then-Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) who changed his vote to “nay” so the vote could be held again) but fell short of the 60 vote threshold with only four Republicans in favor, of whom Toomey and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) are the only currently serving senators.
- The Manchin-Toomey amendment has some significant differences with the bills recently passed by the House. In particular, House Democrats’ bills would require background checks for firearm sales between private individuals and prolong the amount of time a seller must wait for a completed background check from three days to 10 days. They passed the House on mostly party-line votes of 227-203 and 219-210.
- Both Manchin and Toomey have indicated that they’re discussing proposals similar to their 2013 amendment with senators on both sides of the aisle in the wake of the recent mass shootings in Georgia and Colorado. However, both acknowledged that it’s going to be difficult to break the 50-50 partisan deadlock in the Senate and craft a proposal capable of getting 60 votes.
— Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: iStock.com / artas)
The Latest
-
Obama Endorses Kamala Harris as She Looks for a VPUpdated July 26, 2024 As her presidential campaign kicks off, Harris has been at the center of attacks and endorsements. The read more... Voting Rights
-
The Latest: Experts Fear the Spread of Polio in GazaUpdated July 26, 2024 The health crisis in Gaza continues to worsen as essential health services are severely compromised in the read more... Israel
-
IT: 🇺🇸 Biden ends 2024 re-election campaign, and... Do you support Kamala Harris as the 2024 Democratic nominee?Welcome to Monday, July 22nd, reporters... Joe Biden has announced he will end his candidacy for re-election. In a letter posted read more...
-
Quick Breakdown on Trump's VP Pick, JD VanceUpdated July 22, 2024 Last week, former President Donald Trump picked Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate . Vance, who read more... Advocacy
It makes no sense to weaken our God given rights of the 2nd Amendment. We need to stop Bill 127. Please Congressman and Senators vote no on this Bill please and thank you. Sincerely, John Shapley.
We do not need more laws that restrict citizens' right to own a firearm. Those who legally own and use firearms whether for hunting, shooting sports, work, and personal safety are law abiding citizens who know that the privilege and right to own and possess a firearm will be removed if they use it illegally. Sadly and angrily, criminals do not have the same concern and in spite of the many firearm laws in existence today will choose to ignore them to commit their crime. We wish law makers, prosecutors, and judges would focus their efforts on truly punishing those who use firearms (and other weapons) to commit crimes. Yes, we have chosen to be members of the NRA and local firearm associations and support law abiding citizens rights to own firearms.