All three senators have been working, along with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), on compromise universal background-check legislation for gun purchasers. Those negotiations appeared to slow this week with the group of senators in an apparent deadlock over a bill by Schumer that would would require a background check for virtually every gun sale and require private sellers to verify the person they are selling to is not prohibited from buying a firearm.

“We are committed to continuing to work in a bipartisan effort with Sens. Schumer, Coburn and others in order to find a commonsense solution for enhanced background checks, however, Sen. Schumer’s current proposal is one we cannot support as it stands today,” the two senators said in a statement Wednesday evening. “Our goal is to pass a bill that will close loopholes in the current background check process in a way that does not burden law-abiding citizens.