Toomey: There Is ‘Common Ground’ on Requiring Background Checks

Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet The Press” that there was “common ground” between Democrats and Republicans on moving forward on legislation requiring background checks in the commercial sale of guns.

Toomey said, “What we need to do is try to find a place where we can land, a place where there’s some common ground. I have long believed, as I’ve told you many times, the place where we ought to be able to get that done is requiring background checks on commercial sales. That’s where I know Senator Manchin is. And there are Republican senators who are interested, not because it’s some bank shot to prevent the Democrats from abusing their power with respect to the filibuster, but because there is some substantive support.”

Anchor Chuck Todd said, “Is your issue with the House bill, and I know Senators Manchin and Tester, do you have — do you share their same concerns on this issue of private sales? Or do you think there is a way to include some form of a background check in that, too?

Toomey said, “You know, there are, there are different mechanisms, there’s new technology that makes these various mechanisms possible that weren’t possible before. You’re not going to get to 60 votes with legislation that requires a — when a father wants to sell his gun to his son to have to get a background check. So, I still think the best way to do this is focus on commercial sales. You know, between the sales that already occur at licensed firearm dealers, all of which require a background check, and what we consider commercial sales, advertised sales, gun shows and on the internet, that covers the vast, vast majority of all transactions. And it would be progress if we had background checks for those categories.”

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