Navy Yard Shooter passed two firearm background checks

background checks to purchase a shotgun from Sharpshooters Small Arms Range in Lorton, Va. the weekend prior to the shooting, according to reports on the Navy Yard Shooter. As we predicted a few days ago, this incident has quickly brought firearm background checks back onto the political agenda, with several leaders – including the President – calling for Congress and the Senate to prioritize gun control and reconsider universal background checks for gun owners. Other senior individuals supporting these measures include California Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, with the latter saying he’ll schedule another vote to expand firearms background checks “as quickly as we can”, when enough members support the bill. This issue was last visited in the Senate back in April, just four months after 20 school children and six adults were shot to death at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.  At that time it didn’t secure the 60 votes needed to pass the background check measure. Most gun-restriction measures are opposed by Republicans, while Democratic supporters haven’t won over some colleagues facing a potential backlash from the gun lobby and voters in their states.]]>