Gun control debate reinvigorated after Charleston shooting

On the heels of the devastating shooting tragedy in Charleston, lawmakers are again diving headlong into the debate over increased U.S. gun control.

Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), in separate interviews with The Washington Post Tuesday, each said they are currently exploring options to revive their failed attempt to expand background checks for U.S. gun purchases.

“We want to make sure we have the votes. Pat’s going to have to, and I’ll work with him, to get some of our colleagues on the Republican side,” Manchin told the newspaper.

Toomey said that nothing is assured when it comes to increasing gun control, “but if we stay at it I think we’ll find a way to make progress.”

The GOP lawmaker previously failed to get passed legislation that would have expanded background checks to firearm purchases online and at guns shows.

“What I’m trying to figure out is, is there something that could get the support of the 60 votes that we would need in the Senate,” he told The Post. “Joe Manchin was and is a great partner and someone I will continue to work with, and I’m open to exploring what is possible.”

The Pennsylvania Republican sounded a little less optimistic, however, during a Wednesday morning appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“Honestly, I don’t want to build up any false expectations. I’m not aware that we have the votes to do what Sen. Manchin and I attempted,” he said.

“Is it possible that some portion of that, some subset of what we focused on is possible? Honestly, probably not likely.”

One clue about how willing congressional Republicans will be to budge on gun control came Wednesday, when a panel headed by the GOP blocked a Democratic proposal to end a two-decade-old ban on funding Centers for Disease Control research of gun violence.

“The restriction is to prevent activity that would undertake activities (to include data collection) for current or future research, including under the title ‘gun violence prevention,’ that could be used in any manner to result in a future policy, guidelines, or recommendations to limit access to guns, ammunition, or to create a list of gun owners,” the panel sad in a report.

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