FOXNews.com: GUN BILL FILIBUSTER? White House Says Critics Using Tactic to 'Hide'

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GUN BILL FILIBUSTER? White House Says Critics Using Tactic to 'Hide' Apr 8th 2013, 21:26 Pivotal week ahead on Capitol Hill Immigration, gun control top congressional agenda What's the holdup on gun control? The White House on Monday lashed out at Republican lawmakers threatening to filibuster gun control legislation in the Senate, accusing them of trying to "hide" behind procedural maneuvers -- as support for the filibuster continued to grow.  Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, announced Monday afternoon that a total of 13 senators had signed a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid threatening to oppose "any legislation that would infringe on the American people's constitutional right to bear arms." Reid, at the same time, took the first steps to bring the gun control package to the floor for Senate debate, while saying he was "deeply troubled" by their warning.  Lee, along with Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have led efforts to hold up the legislation. They would do so by trying to require a 60-vote threshold, which could kill the legislation.  Senators returned Monday from a two-week spring recess, and negotiators are hard at work trying to refine and prep a bill for consideration. While Lee, Paul, Cruz and others dug in on their objections, other moderates and conservatives have indicated a willingness to consider the package.  White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, using pointed language, accused the hold-outs of trying to "hide" behind the filibuster. At Monday's press briefing, he invoked the families of the Newtown shooting victims to pressure them into allowing an up-or-down vote.  "Imagine what would they say to the families of the victims of Newtown about why a certain measure never came to a vote, because they filibustered. ... That would certainly be inappropriate."  Carney suggested any lawmaker who applauded for Obama on the issue of gun violence victims "when the cameras were on" during the State of the Union address should "live up to that applause ... and not take the less courageous route by using procedural measures to block a vote."  He added: "If they oppose this legislation, have the courage to say so on the floor and vote no. Don't block it. Don't hide behind a procedural action to prevent the vote."  President Obama will continue to try to rally support for a bill during his visit to the University of Hartford, in Connecticut, on Monday. An administration official said 11 family members of Sandy Hook victims will ride back to Washington with Obama on Air Force One. They had planned to lobby lawmakers on Tuesday in support of gun control.  Amid the campaign for public support, two key senators are said to be working behind the scenes on the tricky issue of background checks.  Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey and West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin are reportedly in talks for a proposal to expand the checks to gun shows and Internet sales -- but, importantly, exempt some sales between hunters or close relatives.  It's unclear whether such a proposal would be embraced by pro-gun rights conservatives and the National Rifle Association, which so far has opposed the kind of comprehensive firearms legislation pushed by Obama and his allies in Congress. But the issue of family members and others being subjected to an expanded background check system for sales between them has become an obstacle.  The most controversial element of a gun control package -- a renewed ban on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines -- has been dropped from the main bill, though it will still likely get a vote as an amendment. But the push to expand background checks remains and has emerged as a sticking point, though White House aides and congressional Democrats point to polling that shows public support for universal background checks strong.  Opponents to the expanded checks worry that the new system could be cumbersome for family members and others involved in casual transfers.  Carney declined to comment in any depth on the Toomey-Manchin talks at Monday's briefing. Related Stories Senators work on possible breakthrough on gun background checks

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