Aides said the House Republican leader, John A. Boehner of Ohio, and other senior members of the Republican leadership would be present but would stay mostly in the background, allowing other lawmakers to lay out the agenda for reporters.
But even with new signs of greater bipartisan open-mindedness on gun control — the House majority leader, Representative Eric Cantor, Republican of Virginia, signaled support on Tuesday for a stronger background check system — lawmakers acknowledged the hurdles they face in getting any bill through both houses of Congress.
Cutting congressional staff, especially those with technical backgrounds, could weaken lawmakers already poor ability to understand and grapple with difficult topics, such as financial markets and climate policy, says William Hooke, director of policy programs with the American Meteorological Society in Washington, D.C. "This is a really negative thing," he says.
"The role of greenhouse gases in climate change is not well understood," the coalition said in a scientific "backgrounder" provided to lawmakers and journalists through the early 1990s, adding that "scientists differ" on the issue.
Remarkably, though, its release wasn't accompanied by any contextual information or background briefing to either lawmakers or the press.
While Senator Joe Manchin decides whether to reintroduce his failed background checks bill, other lawmakers are busy passing new gun measures that decrease rather than increase regulation.
But as the Senate returns from recess next week to debate federal legislation that includes extending background checks, some state lawmakers are looking to expand rights of gun owners and loosen regulations governing purchases.
"I believe that the Assembly and Senate should be submitted to psychological background checks," he told lawmakers.
"The engagements of the operations are conducted primarily by the partner force, with our support in a background role," Waldhauser told lawmakers recently.
In October, Newsom launched a petition drive to qualify an initiative for the November ballot that would implement many of the gun control measures proposed by lawmakers, including background checks for bullet buyers and a ban on possessing magazine clips holding more than 10 rounds.
