U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., had been working with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., on such a deal.
The U.S. Senate has a bipartisan deal fueled by U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., on gun purchase background checks that should allow debate to go forward on a more inclusive bill, the Washington Post is reporting.
Toomey had been working with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., on Tuesday on such a deal, according to reports. Toomey has scheduled a conference call for later this morning to discuss background checks. A Toomey aide today confirmed the senator had been working with Manchin on the deal "to improve background checks" and the compromise would be announced this morning.
The Post said Toomey was involved with three other senators -- Manchin, Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. -- in the deal and it would be offered as an amendment to the current bill. A formal announcement is set for 11 o'clock, the newspaper says.
Background checks would be required on all commercial sales -- which expands the current rules that checks only be done when licensed dealers sell guns, according to the Post. It would close the gun show loophole and require checks on Internet sales, the Post says. But it doesn't go as far as the Obama administration wanted, requiring checks on nearly all sales of guns.
The deal should provide enough votes to override a potential filibuster of the discussion, the newspaper said. The bill would include background checks, make gun trafficking a federal offense and provide more money for school security plans, the Post reports.
Amendments will be allowed on the bill, the Post said. Anything that passes the senate would need to by voted on and approved in the U.S. House.