The Brief: Senate Votes Down Gun Control

The Big Conversation

The recent mass shooting in Orlando has reignited the debate over gun control nationwide, prompting the U.S. Senate to take up four proposals on Monday, but lawmakers ultimately voted them down.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican and majority whip, had proposed a measure aimed at preventing gun sales to people on the FBI’s terrorist watch list. As the Tribune’s Khorri Atkinson writes, “Under Cornyn’s bill, the attorney general would be given 72 hours to prove there was a probable cause for denying a suspected terrorist the ability to purchase a gun. The measure garnered support from the National Rifle Association but failed on a 53-47 vote. It needed 60 votes to pass.”

Critics suggested that Cornyn’s bill lacked the strength needed to make an impact. Cornyn, in turn, argued that the Democrats’ version — which “would have allowed the attorney general to ban the sale of guns to known or suspected terrorists if there was 'reasonable belief' the weapons may be used to carry out an attack” — violated the Second Amendment.

Both measures, and two others proposed, failed on Monday. The Houston Chronicle notes that “some Democrats saw the Senate votes as a sign of momentum in the gun debate after years of trying, but little more.”

Trib Must Reads

Platforms Reveal Common Ground Between Texas GOP, Democrats, by Madlin Mekelburg — Though they disagree on almost every policy issue, from education funding to abortion to immigration, Texas Republicans and Democrats seem to have common ground on a few things, according to their newly approved platforms. 

Boats off the Water Little Help in Border Security, by Jay Root and Julián Aguilar — Boats are one of the most effective ways to patrol the 300 miles of river and lakes under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Border Patrol's Rio Grande Station. But the boats aren't in the water around the clock.

Anti-Overdose Drug Becoming Easily Available in Texas, by Isabelle Taft — Starting Tuesday morning, Texans will be able to obtain naloxone, which can help prevent a drug overdose from being fatal, without a prescription at any of 715 Walgreens pharmacies in the state. 

The Day Ahead

• The House Committee on Higher Education meets at 9 a.m. in the Capitol Extension to hear testimony for its interim charge of reviewing educational opportunities for non-traditional students, such as adults without a high school degree.

Elsewhere

(Links below lead to outside websites; content might be behind paywall)

Between the Democratic bookends, Houston Chronicle

Lawsuit: Baylor fostered 'hunting ground' for sexual assault, The Associated Press

David Axelrod says Texas not in play for Hillary Clinton, even with Trump leading GOP ticket, The Dallas Morning News

No charges for man with gun near Donald Trump rally in Texas, Houston Chronicle

Austin fingerprint mandate could get ‘teeth’ at City Council meeting, Austin American-Statesman

With energy in retreat, health care dominates Houston job growth, Houston Chronicle

Dallas-Fort Worth high-speed rail plan draws worldwide interest, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Gay nightclubs up security spending following Orlando shooting, San Antonio Express-News

Conservative group sues Austin over short-term rental rules, Austin American-Statesman

Hillary Clinton's VP search moves into more intense phase, The Associated Press

What we know about Hope Hicks, SMU grad and Donald Trump's secretive press secretary, The Dallas Morning News

Quote to Note

“My amendment is called the Shield Act, and it would stop terrorists from buying guns while ensuring law-abiding citizens placed on a watch list by mistake don't have their rights taken away because of some secret list created by the Obama administration or by this government.”

 — U.S. Sen. John Cornyn on his proposed gun control measure, which died in the Senate

Trib Events for the Calendar

•    The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23-25 at the University of Texas at Austin