Biden calls on Senate to 'immediately pass' House bills that would close gun background check loopholes

In response to Monday's mass shooting at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, President Biden on Tuesday urged the Senate to "immediately pass" two recent House-passed bills that would close loopholes in the background check system for gun purchasers.

While Biden acknowledged it's still unclear what weapon(s) the suspected shooter may have used to kill 10 people, the president said he doesn't "need to wait another minute, let alone an hour, to take common sense steps that will save lives in the future." He said he wants to work with Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, but specified that closing background check loopholes is "one of the best tools we have right now to prevent gun violence."

Despite the tragedy in Boulder and another series of shootings that left eight people dead in the Atlanta area last week, it still seems unlikely Biden will be able to secure the 60 votes required to pass the bills, at least as quickly as he hopes. Republicans are generally wary of major gun reform legislation, and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), one of the upper chamber's crucial moderate Democratic votes, has said he prefers a different proposal, as well.

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