Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is backing an effort to expand background checks for firearms.
Duckworth is co-sponsoring legislation requiring federal background checks for the sale or transfer of firearms by private sellers. It comes a few weeks after Stephen Paddock killed 58 people at a concert in Las Vegas.
Duckworth says that the bill wouldn't have stopped Paddock from obtaining firearms, since he was able to pass background checks. But, she says convicted felons are often able to buy guns by going to a non-licensed dealer.
"People who could not pass a background check as is are using these loopholes in order to purchase firearms to which they are not entitled to have access."
Efforts to restrict firearms are expected to face a tough reception in Congress, which has a Republican majority generally opposed to gun control.
