Senator Coburn Single-Handedly Blocks Gun Bill (Oct 03, 2007)
In the wake of last April’s shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, some lawmakers are trying to pass the first new firearms law in more than a decade to improve the federal system for checking gun buyers’ mental health histories. But they’re being blocked in their efforts by Oklahoma Republican Senator Tom Coburn.

Since he was elected to the Senate nearly 3 years ago, Coburn has developed a reputation as a maverick, using procedural tactics and filing dozens of amendments to stall spending bills and other legislation with which he’s disagreed on principle. He’s angered members of both parties, and conservative columnist George Will recently called him, “the most dangerous creature that can come to the Senate, someone simply uninterested in being popular.”

Find out why Coburn refuses to budge on this bill, even though it’s supported by the NRA and has broad, bipartisan support. Reporter Matt Laslo speaks to Coburn as well as Virginia Democrat Rick Boucher and NRA spokesperson Ashley Varner.

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