Durbin: Gun controls should be debated with sportsmen’s bill

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said he wants a debate on gun control reform to be included in Senate consideration of a bipartisan sportsmen’s bill.

“Colleagues are going to come forward and offer amendments about guns,” Durbin said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “I want this debate.”

{mosads}The Senate is considering S. 2363, legislation that aims to preserve federal lands for hunting, fishing and shooting. Some Democrats opposed a procedural vote to advance the bill on Monday because it didn’t include gun control measures.

Durbin said he would offer an amendment to the bill despite the fact that it isn’t a gun bill. His amendment would stiffen the penalty for straw purchases of guns to 15 years in prison.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has said he too plans to offer a gun control amendment that would temporarily take guns away from people who commit domestic violence and have a restraining order placed against them. It would also ban the sale of guns to those with a restraining order against them because of domestic violence.

The sportsmen’s bill has broad bipartisan support, but if gun control measures are added Republicans will likely pull their support.