REID: NO BACKGROUND CHECK EXPANSION BILL WILL REACH SENATE FLOOR

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has said that any legislation to expand the current National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) will not be considered on the Senate floor following last Wednesday’s shooting involving an apparently mentally unstable soldier at Fort Hood in Texas. Though Reid pledged last year to bring gun-control legislation back to the floor, he said there are insufficient votes for passage and he won’t move a bill until he can count enough positive votes. Reid understands that any vote to expand background checks would pose a huge political problem for vulnerable red-state Democrats seeking re-election this year.—courtesy National Shooting Sports Foundation