US News

Harry’s shooting gallery

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid kicked off the gun-control debate in the full Senate yesterday by introducing a bill calling for universal background checks, stiffer penalties for gun trafficking and money for school security.

He’ll also allow a vote on amendments that would include an assault-weapon ban, prohibit large gun ammunition clips and tighten mental-health provisions in background checks.

“In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for all of these provisions to receive votes. I’ll ensure they do,” Reid said.

Reid felt gun-control advocates’ wrath this week when he decided that the assault-weapons ban would not be part of his base gun-control bill. He said the proposal had, at most, 40 votes, well shy of the 60 needed to break a GOP filibuster.

Legislation by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) requiring background checks on all guns must be part of the bill, Reid said.