Reid: No gun control bill with assault weapons ban

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters on Tuesday that he would not have been able to get a gun control bill to the Senate floor if it included the assault weapon ban.

Reid explained that the decision to move a comprehensive bill sans an assault weapon ban was made because otherwise there would not have been 60 votes. He said members will still be able to vote on the assault weapon ban through an amendment.

“Dianne has worked so hard on this,” Reid said, referring to the ban's sponsor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). “She understands going back to the day she found the mayor dead in his office. I know that, but right now her amendment, using the most optimistic numbers, has less than 40 votes. That’s not 60. I have to get something on the floor so we can have votes on that issue and the other issues.”

Reid said he is going to try to hold votes on a gun control bill when the Senate returns in April from the Easter break.