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April 10th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Both men, who represent midwestern states with high levels of gun ownership,
said they had struck a balance between public safety and protecting “cherished”
gun rights.
“I don’t consider criminal background checks to be gun control, I just
think it’s common sense,” Mr Toomey said. “Criminals and the
dangerously mentally ill should not have guns. I don’t know anyone who
disagrees with that premise.”
The National Rifle Association, America’s lead gun lobby group, immediately
announced its opposition to the proposals.
The Brady Campaign, one of the leading gun control organisations said it was “reviewing
carefully” the proposals but did not immediately announce its support.
Support from Mr Toomey and other Republicans greatly increases the bill’s
chances of clearing the Senate, although other members of the party have
vowed to oppose any new legislation.
However the new law would then face an uncertain fate in the
Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
The compromise deal may also represent a disappointing high-water mark for
advocates of gun control as plans for a ban on assault weapons and
high-capacity magazines look doomed to failure.
The Senate is due to vote Thursday on whether to proceed with the debate on
new gun control laws.
A group of Republicans had said they would block the issue from even coming to
the floor but Democrats appear to have gathered the votes to break the
opposition “filibuster”.
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