Senate Judiciary Committee to vote on measures to reduce gun violence
Reporter: Justin Schecker
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - It could be the next step in the recovery process for victims of the Jan. 8 shootings.
Arizona Senator Jeff Flake and the rest of the Senate Judiciary Committee are scheduled to vote Thursday on four bills aimed at reducing gun violence, with the hopes of preventing another mass shooting.
The two bills attracting the most bi-partisan support aim to crack down on illegal gun trafficking and to beef up school security.
As for expanding background checks to include private gun sales, Democrats and Republicans remain at odds.
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly are leading the campaign to pressure Congress to pass universal background checks. They organized a rally Wednesday at the Safeway where Giffords nearly lost her life.
"If that information was there, it's pretty clear that the man who did this, at this Safeway on January 8th, 2011 would have failed that background check," Kelly said.
Kelly and Giffords sent a letter to Senators McCain and Flake, urging them to support universal background checks.
Even if the majority of Democrats in the Judiciary Committee approves the four measure they'll vote on Thursday, they know they're in for a tougher fight when the bills go before the entire senate.
The two parties are also divided on the issue of reinstating an assault weapons ban, which would also include banning the sale of extended magazines.
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