Harry Reid endorses universal background checks for gun purchases

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said Sunday he supported requiring background checks for all gun purchases, but refused to endorse other proposals to curb gun violence.

Licensed gun dealers are required to run federal background checks, but private sellers at gun shows and other venues do not have the same requirement, an issue known as the gun show loophole.

“I think everyone acknowledges we should do something with background checks… We need to increase that,” Reid acknowledged on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. “I’m still a supporter of the Second Amendment, but you can do things like that.”

The Democratic leader, however, refused to support the proposed assault weapons ban or restrictions on high-capacity magazines. Reid has voted against similar legislation in the past. He told Stephanopoulos he still needed to review the current gun control proposals.

“Let’s not limit this conversation to only guns,” he added. “There are other issues, very important this issue — mental health. I mean, gee whiz. We’ve gotta do something on that. That’s certainly the truth.”

At a breakfast meeting sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor last week, NRA president David Keene noted the organization had a “relatively friendly relationship with” Reid. Keene said that the senator was “under incredible pressure” over the issue of gun control and it was “anybody’s guess” on whether he would support the current proposals.