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Sen. Dianne Feinstein has been working tirelessly to restrict rifle types and magazine capacities ever since the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban prohibiting their import and manufacture expired nine years ago.
On Tuesday, the Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV announced her latest ban proposal wouldn't even make it past committees and onto the congressional floor for a vote.
Without the confidence of having at least 60 affirmative votes, Reid is unsure if any bill the Democrats support can even make it to debate without facing a Republican filibuster. At best, Reid predicted that Feinstein's brand new weapons ban had only 40 votes or less to count on for support.
Although it has been especially popular this time--thanks to the unrelenting media portrayal of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting--Feinstein's bill was never expected to pass.
Sen. Reid said that putting her legislation before the congress would have probably destroyed their chances of actually passing several less restrictive gun laws, including a federal background check requirement on guns sold by private parties, and a ban on all ammunition magazines--including handguns--that can hold more than 10 rounds.
Theoretically, Feinstein's entire bill could be added by amendment to whatever gun control package that Democrats eventually bring before the senate, however, it is unlikely at best that the party would agree to add the very same language to their proposal which they feared would be the reason that it wouldn't pass to start with.
"I'm not going to try to put something on the floor that won't succeed," Reid said.
Whether they kill it or not once it gets there remains to be seen.
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