Sen. Jeff Flake said Wednesday that there is no guarantee that there will be enough votes to invoke closure on a compromise gun control measure he is co-sponsoring, but "we are going to get a vote," and he commends Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for committing to that.
"I think it's workable and I think it's something we can accomplish," the Arizona Republican told
MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell. "Nothing gets by in the Senate unless it's bipartisan. That's why this bill, this amendment has a chance and we brought in Republicans and Democrats.
"We want to actually pass something . . . that's what we've seen in the past and it's time to do something else."
The bill, written by Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins would prevent people on the nation's no-fly list and the Secondary Security Screening Selectee lists from buying guns, but would allow an appeals process.
Meanwhile, under the terms of the bill, people on the nation's overall terrorism watch list or people placed on it within the past five years would not be blocked from buying weapons, but the FBI would still be notified.
Opponents, though, say the bill only allows 14 days for background checks, which is not enough time.
Flake said he and the bill's other proponents are working on language and trying to find middle ground.
"We've submitted something already, but we can make some technical changes which we're doing," said Flake. "We hope to be able to get it on the floor and pass it. This is something that can pass."
The National Rifle Association has voiced its opposition to the measure, with Chris Cox, the executive director of the group's Institute for Legislative Action, telling
Politico that Collins and the other supporters "are focusing their efforts on unconstitutional proposals that would not have prevented the Orlando terrorist attack."
Flake, though, said that he believes the NRA should support the measure, as they have said they don't want terrorists to have guns, and they believe due process protections are important.
"That's what this is all about," he told Mitchell. "There are due process protections. We're talking about a smaller list here. This is a narrow list of those that are not allowed to fly and those who we require additional screening for.
"This is about 2,700 individuals that we don't allow to fly with your family members, but we allow to purchase a gun. I think most Americans think that's wrong. And as long as we protect Second Amendment protections with due process, this is something we can do and we should do."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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