US Democrats: gun deal possible, won't end bloodshed
Democrats in the US Senate said on Tuesday they were encouraged by talks with Republicans on gun-violence legislation, but warned that any compromise would fall short of the steps they say are needed to tackle the problem. "Every day we get closer to an agreement, not farther away," said Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who working with Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas on a possible deal. The Senate's top Republican, Mitch McConnell, said he hoped the two sides would find common ground after a wave of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York; Uvalde, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and elsewhere. "We're hoping to actually get an outcome that will make a difference," he said at a news conference. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he would give negotiators until the end of the week to reach a deal. The talks have raised hopes of a rare bipartisan agreement on gun-related issues in Congress, which has failed to act after similar mass shootings over the past decade. Most Americans support stronger gun laws, opinion polls show. Democratic President Joe Biden last week called for banning assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines, or at least raising the minimum age to buy those weapons from 18 to 21. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is expected to approve some of those proposals on Wednesday, but they are unlikely to clear the evenly divided Senate as many Republicans are opposed to tighter gun controls. "Obviously, an agreement that we reach with the Republicans won't come close to the full list of things that I think are necessary to curb this epidemic. But the Americans people are looking for progress," Murphy said. (Reuters)