Sen. Chris Murphy doesn't think Democrats have 60 votes for assault weapons ban - CNN

CNN  — 

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said Senate Democrats don’t person the 60 votes needed to beforehand an battle weapons prohibition measure but expressed optimism connected CNN’s “State of the Union” that thing could get done successful the adjacent Congress if Democrats support their spot successful Georgia.

“I’m gladsome that President (Joe) Biden is gonna beryllium pushing america to instrumentality a ballot connected an battle weapons ban,” helium told CNN’s Dana Bash connected Sunday morning. “The House has already passed it. It’s sitting successful beforehand of the Senate. Does it person 60 votes successful the Senate close now? Probably not. But let’s spot if we tin effort to get that fig is adjacent to 60 arsenic possible. If we don’t person the votes, past we’ll speech to [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer and possibly travel backmost adjacent year, with possibly an further senator, and spot if we tin bash better.”

Murphy besides said determination needs to beryllium a speech successful the US Senate astir backing instrumentality enforcement successful counties that are refusing to enforce authorities and nationalist weapon laws.

“They person decided that they are going to fundamentally garbage to instrumentality laws that are connected the books. That is simply a increasing occupation successful this country,” helium said. “And I deliberation we’re gonna person to person a speech astir that successful the United States Senate. Do we privation to proceed to proviso backing to instrumentality enforcement successful counties that garbage to instrumentality authorities and national weapon laws?”

He added: “I’ll speech to my colleagues astir what our attack should beryllium to this problem. But 60% of counties successful this state are refusing to instrumentality the nation’s weapon laws, we’ve got to bash thing astir that.”

A caller shooting astatine an LGBTQ nine successful Colorado Springs, Colorado, progressive an assault-style limb and a handgun, portion officials said the shooter astatine a Walmart successful Chesapeake, Virginia, past week was equipped with a handgun and aggregate magazines.

Congress returns this week with a jam-packed to-do database successful the lame duck session, focused chiefly connected the must-pass authorities backing bill, arsenic good arsenic different priorities. But immoderate enactment connected weapon authorities – peculiarly the battle weapons prohibition Biden has repeatedly called for – does not person the votes to pass. And the world of a divided Congress successful adjacent year’s league makes it highly improbable that thing volition walk implicit the adjacent 2 years.

This is simply a breaking communicative and volition beryllium updated.