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The Senate gun deal: What's in and what's out?
From the Takeaways from the Jan. 6 hearings, the Senate gun deal, and more top stories from the last week series
Here's what to know about the tentative gun deal reached by 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans in the Senate — some surprises and loose ends.
Intro
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The outline of a bipartisan Senate agreement on reining in gun violence has no game-changing steps banning the deadliest firearms. But it does propose measured provisions that could make it harder for some young gun buyers, or people considered threatening, to have weapons. And there are meaningful efforts to address mental health and school safety concerns. There's pressure on both parties to act after last month's mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. But details of the plan remain in negotiation between Democrats and Republicans, with disagreements over how tightly the initiatives should be drawn. Here's a look at where things stand.
Here's what's in and out of the agreement:
A strengthening, narrowly, of background checks
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When people age 18 to 20 try buying firearms, the required federal background check would for the first time include their juvenile crime and mental health records. To allow time for getting data from state and local authorities, the process' current three-day maximum would be extended up to seven more days, according to aides following the talks. Once the 10 days lapse, the buyer could get the weapon, even if the record search is incomplete.
Currently, dealers considered in the "business" of selling guns are required to get federal firearms licenses. Such sellers must conduct background checks. Bargainers want to cover more people who, while not running a formal business, occasionally sell weapons.
Other measured curbs
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The framework calls for grants to help states enforce or enact "red flag" laws that let authorities get court orders temporarily taking guns from people deemed dangerous. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have such statutes, but some lack funds to enforce them robustly.
Penalties would be toughened for so-called straw purchasers, those buying guns for others who don't qualify. More current or former romantic partners convicted of domestic abuse, or targeted with restraining orders by their victims, would be barred from getting guns. The ban applies today if the couple was married, lived together or had children together.
Inclusion of the tougher restrictions against straw purchasers and estranged partners were surprises because they'd been blocked by Republicans before.
Addressing broader problems
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Democrats say there will be billions of dollars to expand mental health initiatives. This would pay for more community behavioral health centers, strengthened suicide prevention and violence intervention efforts and increased access to mental telehealth visits.
There would be new sums for school safety. These could include better security at building entrances, training for staff and violence prevention programs. The dollar amount is unclear.
About the photo: New Washington, Ohio, Chief of Police Scott Robertson talks with fourth grade students as they huddle in closet a during a lockdown drill at the St. Bernard School in New Washington, Ohio, Jan. 14, 2013.
Hurdles ahead
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Democrats responsive to constituents who strongly favor gun curbs want the new law to be as stringent as possible. Republicans want nothing that would turn their adamantly pro-gun voters against them.
This means tough bargaining on the fine print of the legislation.
How narrowly will a new definition of which sellers need federal firearms licenses be written? Are there limits on which juvenile records would be accessible during background checks for younger buyers?
What conditions would states have to meet to qualify for "red flag" funds? What legal protections would people have if the authorities consider them too risky to have firearms?
How much money will the package cost? No one has said, though people familiar with the discussions say a ballpark $15 billion is possible. And how will it be paid for?
A leader of the effort, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told reporters Monday that bargainers plan to pay for the costs with offsetting spending cuts or new revenues. The latter could be a no-go for Republicans.
Leaders hope the package can be written and approved before Congress begins its July 4 recess.
What's out?
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President Joe Biden has proposed reviving the 1994 assault weapons ban, which expired after a decade, or raising the minimum age for buying one from 18 to 21. He wants to ban high-capacity magazines.
He'd repeal the legal immunity from liability protecting gun makers. He wants safe storage requirements for guns and a federal "red-flag" law to cover states without one.
None of those made it into the bill; nor did universal background checks. Biden backs the agreement anyway in the name of a compromise that would produce an achievement.
Prospects ahead?
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Ten senators from each party joined in announcing the gun outline and saying they backed it. Those numbers are not a coincidence.
They signal potentially enough support for passage by the 50-50 Senate, where Democrats will need at least 10 GOP backers to reach the usual 60-vote threshold. Besides Murphy, the other lead negotiators were Sens. John Cornyn (pictured), R-Texas, Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
Approval in the Democratic-run House is expected, though complications could always emerge.
More restrictions?
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Another bargainer, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (left), D-Conn., said he hopes Republicans will see that "the gun lobby is weaker than they think." But there are signs that approving future restrictions will be challenging.
For one thing, this spurt of action on guns is Congress' most significant since the now-expired assault weapons ban was enacted three decades ago. That spotlights how hardened positions can be lasting.
Another clue is the makeup of the agreement's 20 announced supporters. Blumenthal and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., are the only two running for reelection this year.
Four others, all Republicans, are retiring in January: Sens. Roy Blunt of Missouri, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
The rest don't face reelection until 2024 or 2026.
They are Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Mitt Romney of Utah.
The Democrats are Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Chris Coons of Delaware, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.
Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, allied with Democrats, also backed the proposal.
Ethical Life podcast: What do hunters say about increased gun regulations?
UpdatedThe 10 Republicans: Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri
Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina
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Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio
Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania
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Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah
The 10 Democrats: Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona
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Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona
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Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona
Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey
Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware
Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico
Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan
Sen. Angus King, I-Maine
Sen. Angus King, I-Maine
As featured on
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Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told reporters Tuesday that a final agreement on the package was at hand. And Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas says negotiators have reached agreement.
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