FBI/GOP/GUNS/NRA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s tentative embrace of a narrow background-checks bill is about to hit a towering hurdle: members of his own party. The White House is signaling support for a bipartisan bill that would enhance reporting of violent criminals to the FBI’s background-checks database in order to stop them from buying firearms. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) is trying to round up support for it along with the White House — a formidable duo from a party that typically shuns any talk of stricter gun measures.
But House conservatives are unwilling to sign on, unless the measure is coupled with so-called ‘concealed-carry’ legislation backed by the National Rifle Association. Combining the two ideas would have the net effect of loosening gun controls.
The House in December passed a bill that yoked the pair of proposals. Before the vote, House GOP leaders promised conservatives that they would not decouple the background-checks bill from the concealed-carry language, according to four leadership and conservative sources familiar with the whip effort.
That sets up the possibility of a clash between House and Senate Republicans. Trump will likely have to decide how hard he wants to push for the standalone background-checks bill, at the risk of antagonizing his pro-gun base and GOP allies in the House… The House Freedom Caucus has sent a warning shot to leaders before the debate heats up.”
-Rachael Bade and Elana Schor, “Trump on course for clash with House GOP over gun control,” Politico, Feb. 21, 2018 12:34pm