The bipartisan plan to expand the national gun background checks still lacks the votes needed to proceed and pass the Senate, the Washington Post reports.

“Sixty votes will be needed for the amendment to survive Senate procedural hurdles and be added to the underlying bill under consideration. Based on an analysis by The Washington Post, the amendment had the support of 52 senators as of midday Tuesday, with eight senators still undecided.”

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds most Americans, including half of all gun owners, “say it is possible to enact new laws without infringing on gun rights, and overwhelming majorities support expanded background checks at gun shows and for online gun sales.”

“The findings come as the Senate prepares for its first votes on new
gun legislation this week, in what will provide an early test of
strength between the influence of the gun lobby vs. the power of public
opinion, at least when it comes to background checks.”

“Debate on a major overhaul of the of the nation’s gun-control laws is scheduled to begin Tuesday in the U.S. Senate, but there were still not enough votes late Monday to assure expansion of the national gun background check program for gun sales, which is the centerpiece of the proposal,” the Washington Post reports.

First Read: “The compromise’s authors were fighting for every vote on Monday, but
they still appear short of the 60 vote they would need. Hunt’s whip
count shows just seven undecided senators – two of whom (Begich, Pryor)
opposed cloture and are expected to oppose the compromise, though their
offices say they are still deciding. Democratic leaders would need ALL
FIVE of the others to reach 60 votes: Ayotte, Baucus, Heitkamp, Heller,
and Landrieu.”