Murphy says Senate does not have 60 votes to pass assault weapon ban

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a leading advocate for gun control in the Senate, expressed doubt on Sunday that an assault weapons ban once again being pushed by President Biden after the country’s latest mass shooting could pass the upper chamber.

Biden said he was “going to try to get rid of assault weapons” during the lame-duck session of Congress this year following a recent string of mass shootings, but such a proposal would need 10 Republican votes to break the legislative filibuster, assuming Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) can get all 50 Democrats to support the legislation.

“Probably not,” Murphy told CNN “State of the Union” co-anchor Dana Bash when asked if the proposal could garner 60 votes.

“But let’s see if we can try to get that number as close to 60 as possible,” Murphy continued.