Manchin Revives Call For Gun Checks: ‘This Needs To Be Done’

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is questioned for updates by reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Oct. 14, 2013, as a partial government shutdown enters its third week. The Senate's Democratic and Republican le... Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is questioned for updates by reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Oct. 14, 2013, as a partial government shutdown enters its third week. The Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders closed in on a deal Monday night to avoid an economy-menacing Treasury default and end the two-week partial government shutdown. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
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Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) revived his call for gun safety legislation Tuesday when asked if he’d like to see his bill mandating background checks for firearm purchases at gun shows and Internet sales come up in the Senate again.

“I’m always — I mean, it just makes so much sense,” Manchin told TPM during a brief interview in the Capitol. “How do you argue against finding out if a person is a criminal or a person’s mentally been adjudicated. All this needs to be done. Sure. I’d like to see reasonable people come to reasonable decisions on a reasonable piece of legislation.”

Manchin’s remarks come in the wake of two shootings in the span of three days — one Sunday in Las Vegas that lead to five deaths (including two police officers), and a school high shooting Tuesday in Oregon. The Vegas shooting caused Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to reiterate his call for expanded background checks on Monday.

Manchin’s bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), received 55 Senate votes last year but fell to a Republican-led filibuster.

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