The question may sound trivial, but for a small group of Republicans and Democrats pushing to turn a tough gun deal into legislation that could garner 60 votes in the Senate, it is vital. And for millions of women who have been threatened at gunpoint by a close partner, it is deadly serious. The issue is a provision of the proposed agreement that would make it more difficult for domestic criminals to acquire weapons. Current law prohibits persons convicted of domestic violence or subject to a restraining order of domestic violence from purchasing a firearm, but only if they are married or have lived with the victim or have a child with him or her. Lawmakers worked unsuccessfully for years to close what became known as the “friend window” by extending legislation to include other close associates. Taking such a step is considered to be one of the most popular and effective ways to reduce gun violence. But first, lawmakers need to agree on exactly what their partner is doing. Is it a date or a lot? Could an ex-boyfriend count? Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat who led the talks, described it as “a complex issue of state statutes and state billing practices.” South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Republican, said the question about the friend was surprisingly complicated. “The superficial explanation seems to be quite simple, but I know that as they try to reduce it to a legislative text, I think it has become a little more inconvenient,” said Mr Thune, who is not directly involved in the negotiations. Lawmakers are struggling to finalize the bill and pass it before the upcoming Senate vacation on July 4, which would require at least 10 Republican senators to join Democrats in breaking a Republican banner. The agreement on the new weapons legislation includes enhanced background checks for potential arms buyers under the age of 21, which will allow law enforcement authorities to review juvenile and mental health records for the first time. It would provide federal money to states with so-called red flag laws that allow authorities to temporarily seize firearms from people considered dangerous. The compromise is also expected to tighten laws to stop the arms trade and include money to support mental health resources in communities and schools, as well as school safety. The last negotiation focused on the details of closing the friend gap, including the definition and whether those subject to the arms embargo should be able to appeal. Negotiators also spent Thursday discussing funding for the red flag law and whether states that do not have such laws can receive money. The stalemate in a friend’s window has become so sticky that Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican and a key player in the talks, said the proposal could be rejected out of the pack. “We are not ready to release tobacco, so we do not have an agreement yet,” said Mr Cornyn, adding: “I’m not disappointed – I’m just finished” as he left a private conversation on Thursday afternoon. Republicans want to limit the scope of the domestic violence provision, while Democrats want to write it widely. “There are a lot of people who have committed domestic violence and are not accused of mere violence, but they have unquestionably committed an act of domestic violence,” Mr Murphy said. endangers our ability to land it. “ The inclusion of the boy in the bipartisan framework, released Sunday with the support of 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats, was one of the biggest surprises for officials in both parties, given repeated failed attempts to address it in the past. Earlier this year, lawmakers were forced to withdraw a similar provision from an update to the Violence Against Women Act – a landmark law aimed at ending domestic violence, persecution and sexual assault – because Republicans opposed it. “This is the difference between doing what sounds good and actually saving lives,” said Cory Bush, a Missouri Republican, closing her friend’s window. “We understand that we can not get everything, but we have to do enough when we can see that the research is there.” This research, as well as analysis by leading organizations on gun safety, shows that millions of women have been threatened at gunpoint by a close partner. Between 1980 and 2008, more than two-thirds of people killed by a spouse or ex-spouse were shot. Several of the gunmen who have been involved in mass shootings in recent years, including the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in 2016 and a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in 2017, have a history of domestic or domestic abuse. As talks began on a compromise on gun safety legislation after the devastating mass shootings in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona Democrat, led the push to address the issue. part of the context, assistants participated with the so-called discussions. But an agreement on the details of the provision proved unclear, even as the main negotiators – Ms Sinema, Mr Cornyn, Mr Murphy and Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican – have repeatedly rallied for a breakthrough that could allow the vote on the legislation next week. Other senators have raised questions about whether the provision should have retroactive effect or whether someone banned from buying a weapon under the measure, particularly because of a misdemeanor, should have the opportunity to appeal – and how long they have to wait to they are doing it. “A lot of our members, as you know, are always concerned about ensuring that there is a strong fair process built into some of these provisions, and so I think that will be really key to that,” Thune said. The proposal in question, like many of the elements in the agreement, is more limited than Democrats have pushed in the past, including a bill introduced by Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar. In a speech this week, Klobuchar said she, like other Democrats, would support the bill, even if it lags behind her original plan and other gun safety proposals.
