(Photo: Alex Wong, Getty Images)

Story Highlights

• Proposal will still get a vote as an amendment
• Ban was never considered likely to pass
• Gun votes could begin in the Senate next month

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday he hopes have a bill to address gun violence on the Senate floor soon after the Easter break, but confirmed that measure will not include the assault weapons ban.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., told reporters Tuesday she is disappointed that her assault weapons ban will not be part of a larger bill, but acknowledged it will likely make it easier to pass gun-related legislation through the Senate.

Feinstein said Reid told her Monday afternoon that the ban on certain types of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines would not be part of package of bills that would make up the Senate legislation.

Reid, D-Nev., said Feinstein's measure simply did not have the support necessary to clear the floor and could not pass the 60 vote threshold needed in order to be considered by the full Senate.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/03/19/feinstein-as...