The Boulder and Atlanta-area shootings have led Democrats to renew their calls for tighter gun laws.

Reality is likely more complicated. Senate Democrats do not currently have deep enough support among Republicans to pass new gun control legislation in the 50-50 Senate, as they would need 60 votes to do so.

While expanding background checks is generally popular with the American public, even with some conservatives, Congress has been unable to find a successful compromise on guns in decades, making it one of the most intractable issues in American politics.

Rep. Joe Neguse who represents Boulder, Colorado, said his community is "heartbroken" by the shooting that killed 10 people at a supermarket.

The gun debate also highlights a larger difficulty for Senate Democrats as they try to move forward on gun legislation and other policy priorities of the Biden White House. With the filibuster in place, forcing a 60-vote threshold for most legislation, House-passed bills on issues like gun control and voting rights are effectively nonstarters unless Democrats secure significant GOP support.

Neguse said he'd like the Senate to take up the bills recently passed in the House and for the House to "reinstate the assault weapons ban."

"The weapons of war have no place in our communities," Neguse said at a virtual press conference with other House Democrats and families who have lost relatives to gun violence.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to bring forward two House-passed bills to require expanded background checks for gun buyers. Biden supports the measures, but they face a tougher route to passage in a closely divided Senate with a slim Democratic majority.

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