What's missing from the House gun package

As the House Judiciary Committee marks up a package of gun-related bills today, one thing not included is an assault weapons ban.

The reason: It doesn’t have the votes.

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More than 200 House Democrats have co-sponsored an assault weapons ban bill introduced by Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-R.I.). But that’s not enough to pass the House and leadership has yet to secure the needed remaining votes, according to people familiar with the deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the state of play…

The decision to proceed with Thursday’s markup without the assault weapons ban was made before a gunman killed at least four people at a medical building in Tulsa on Wednesday afternoon, according to police. And as details of that incident come to light, its unclear whether the latest mass shooting will impact the deliberations.

One of the 17 Democratic lawmakers who notably isn’t a co-sponsor of assault weapons ban is Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), who heads the House Gun Violence Task Force. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi often deputizes Thompson to take the lead on gun-related votes.

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