Kirk and Manchin don't support Schumer background-check proposal

Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) are not backing gun background-check legislation to be introduced by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).

All three senators have been working, along with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), on compromise universal background-check legislation for gun purchasers. Those negotiations appeared to slow this week with the group of senators in an apparent deadlock over a bill by Schumer that would would require a background check for virtually every gun sale and require private sellers to verify the person they are selling to is not prohibited from buying a firearm.

"We are committed to continuing to work in a bipartisan effort with Sens. Schumer, Coburn and others in order to find a commonsense solution for enhanced background checks, however, Sen. Schumer's current proposal is one we cannot support as it stands today," the two senators said in a statement Wednesday evening. "Our goal is to pass a bill that will close loopholes in the current background check process in a way that does not burden law-abiding citizens.

"Any bill we support will guarantee that Americans’ Second Amendment rights are clearly protected," they added. "We simply want to make sure firearms do not end up in the hands of convicted criminals or people who are deemed mentally unstable by court ruling.

"While the bill Sen. Schumer introduced today doesn’t meet this standard, we will continue to work with Sen. Schumer, Sen. Coburn and other colleagues to find a commonsense compromise," the senators continued in a statement.

--This report was updated at 8:34 p.m.

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