
Senate Republicans on Thursday rejected an amendment to the ObamaCare repeal bill that would have tied it to a separate fight on blocking suspected or known terrorists from being able to buy guns.







Senators also rejected an amendment from Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) that would have tied their 2013 background checks bill to the ObamaCare bill.
The amendment failed on a procedural hurdle by a 48-50 vote. Republican Sens. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms Mallory to lead White House environment council | US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019 | Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds Anti-Asian hate crimes bill overcomes first Senate hurdle On The Money: Senate confirms Gensler to lead SEC | Senate GOP to face off over earmarks next week | Top Republican on House tax panel to retire MORE (Maine), Mark Kirk (Ill.), John McCain
John Sidney McCainCongress brings back corrupt, costly, and inequitably earmarks Trump knocks CNN for 'completely false' report Gaetz was denied meeting The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Tax March - Biden, lawmakers start down a road with infrastructure MORE (Ariz.) and Toomey voted to move forward.
The proposal would have required background checks for sales at gun shows and online, and strengthened information-sharing between states and the national background check system.
“I recognize that enhanced background checks are not going to stop all mass shootings," Toomey, who is facing a tough reelection race next year, said in a statement ahead of the vote. "As we have seen, many of these attacks would still have happened even if our proposal was on the books. But some tragedies, such as the mass shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007, might have been prevented."
In another vote, senators turned down an amendment from Sen. Chuck GrassleyChuck GrassleyAnti-Asian hate crimes bill overcomes first Senate hurdle On The Money: Senate confirms Gensler to lead SEC | Senate GOP to face off over earmarks next week | Top Republican on House tax panel to retire Democrats get good news from IRS MORE (R-Iowa) that would have increased money for mental health and prosecute felons who fail background checks. Democrats suggested that the Iowa Republican's proposal would do little to close "loopholes" for buying a gun.
"In the 100-page amendment being offered by the senator from Iowa … the loopholes are open, and when it comes to background checks, unfortunately, this doesn't do anything," Sen. Dick DurbinDick DurbinSchumer warns Democrats can't let GOP block expansive agenda Holder, Yates lead letter backing Biden pick for Civil Rights Division at DOJ Biden's gun control push poses danger for midterms MORE (D-Ill.) said.