Senator Schumer Challenges President Bush and the NRA

OVERBY: The new bill shows every sign of being another turning point in the war between gun control and gun rights advocates. In recent elections, liberal Democrats have seen gun control as a losing issue in states such as West Virginia in the 2000 presidential race, and again in key tests in 2002. As a lobbying force, the National Rifle Association is considered by many in Washington to be at the top of its game, which led one of the bill's co-sponsors, New York Democrat Charles Schumer, to ask the obvious question.

Senator CHARLES SCHUMER (Democrat, New York): In a Washington where the NRA has virtual control of the Congress, does this bill have a snowball's chance in Hades of going anywhere? The answer is, the American people are for it. We also have an ally at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

OVERBY: In fact, the White House is saying President Bush will sign the bill if gun control advocates don't put new tougher enforcement measures into it. But White House spokesman Ari Fleischer downplayed the notion of any rift with the NRA.