Senate nears gun debate, background checks pivotal

WASHINGTON (AP) :

Congress returns today from a two-week spring recess with gun control and immigration high on the Senate's agenda.

Senators could start debating Democratic-written gun legislation before week's end. But leaders also might decide to give negotiators more time to seek a deal on expanding background checks for firearms buyers.

Passing the expanded background checks would be viewed as a victory for gun-control advocates after Democratic leaders made it clear that supporters were nowhere close to getting a majority of votes in favour of reinstituting a ban on assault weapons.

Background checks

Both measures have been a priority for President Barack Obama since the December 14 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 20 children and six staffers dead.

The National Rifle Association, the influential gun-rights lobbying group, opposes both the assault-weapons ban and the expanded background checks

Short of unanimous support in their own party, Democratic senators have been unable to strike a deal with Republicans for the votes they would need to push background check legislation through the chamber. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid might delay debate to give bargainers more time, underscoring how crucial the proposal is to the gun-control drive.