U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) issued the following statement today after a majority of the Senate voted to move forward a compromise measure to prevent terrorists from obtaining weapons while preserving the right of wrongly accused individuals to clear their names.
"Today's vote shows that a bipartisan, balanced proposal that will stop terrorists from buying guns legally has the support of a majority of the Senate. I am disappointed, however, that this effort did not result in passage of the Collins proposal. It is a bipartisan compromise that will not only help keep Americans safe from terrorism, but it will also help ensure that law-abiding Americans do not wrongfully lose their Second Amendment rights. The Senate should be able to pass this legislation.
"There is plenty of blame to go around on both sides as to why this entire gun debate got hijacked by heightened partisanship and politics. But as I did in 2013 when working with Senator Manchin on expanding background checks, and as I did for the past few months while trying to find a balanced approach on keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists, I sought common ground. To truly get things done, we need to find a way to work together and not just talk past each other."