McCain Confused Over Fellow Republicans Threat to Filibuster Gun Debate

Senator John McCain, R-Arizona, said Sunday that he cannot comprehend why anyone would want to block a debate on gun control laws, according to CNN.com.

This comes after recent threats to filibuster such a debate in the Senate.

“I don't understand it. The purpose of the United States Senate is to debate and to vote and to let the people know where we stand,” he said on the CBS show “Face the Nation”.

The gun control threat first came in a letter from three Republican senators— Kentucky senator Rand Paul, Utah senator Mike Lee and Texas senator Ted Cruz, in which they explained they would try to stop any legislation they considered a hindrance to any citizens Second Amendment rights.

In another letter—which can be viewed here—more senators said they will be taking take similar action to protect Second Amendment rights. The letter is expected to go out on Monday and is addressed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

“We, the undersigned, intend to oppose any legislation that would infringe on the American people’s constitutional right to bear arms, or on their ability to exercise this right without being subjected to government surveillance,” the letter begins.

While GOP senators are taking a stand against any gun laws they feel will infringe upon Second Amendment rights, the Obama administration is pushing Congress to pass stricter gun laws.

"On the eve of Senate consideration of gun safety proposals the President will speak, as he did at the State of the Union, about the obligations the nation has to children lost in Newtown and other victims of gun violence to act on these proposals," a White House official said.

McCain said Sunday that he would not just ignore debate. His decision will come after looking over a while host of factors and participating in healthy discussion about what should be done next.

He spoke specifically about background checks:

“It depends on how they're carried out, how long, what the depth of it is. This is another reason why we need to go to the floor. Everybody wants the same goal, and that is to keep the guns out of the hands of criminals and people who are mentally disabled. And background checks are being conducted. Are they sufficient? Are there ways we can improve those? Then I think that's a subject the American people and the Congress could be helped by if we have a vigorous discussion.”

The 10 additional Republican Senators who have threatened to fight infringing legislation include: Marco Rubio of Florida, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mike Enzi of Wyoming, James Risch of Idaho, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Dan Coats of Indiana, and Pat Roberts of Kansas.