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Manchin: Feinstein's Ban on Some Semi-Automatic Weapons Would Kill My Bill

March 4, 2018

Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) said Sunday that Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D., Calif.) proposal banning some semi-automatic weapons would kill his own gun reform bill.

Manchin appeared on CNN's "State of the Union" with host Jake Tapper, where he was asked about the bipartisan bill by him and Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Penn.) that proposes expanding gun-purchase background checks to include online sales and gun shows.

"Would adding Dianne Feinstein's ban on some semi-automatic weapons, would that help your bill?" Tapper asked.

"No, that would not help our bill at all," Manchin said.

"It would kill it?" Tapper asked.

Manchin acknowledged that the proposed ban would kill his bill and that he has spoken to Feinstein about this proposal.

"I'm not taking anybody's guns away from them," Manchin said. "There's not a law-abiding gun owner in America that doesn't believe that if you go to a gun show and if you go on the internet, you need to know through a commercial transaction who the person is and what their intent—and what their background [is]. That's all. We protected all the rights of law-abiding gun owners."

Later in the interview, Tapper asked Manchin if he thinks that President Donald Trump would sign the Manchin-Toomey bill, which has repeatedly failed to pass through the Senate, if it came to his desk.

"I believe he would," Manchin said.