Bipartisan gun safety bill clears procedural hurdle in 50-50 Senate, moves toward final vote

The bipartisan gun safety bill on Thursday reached the minimum 60-votes needed to move forward to a final vote.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is pushing toward a final vote on Friday before the 100-member chambers adjourns for a two-week recess.

A bipartisan group of senators negotiated the gun bill after the May 24 mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 children and two teachers were killed. 

The rolling tally for the legislation, titled the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, was 62-28 at about 12:20 p.m. on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. 

The Democratic-led House has already passed separate gun control measures that go further than the Senate bill.

If the Senate legislation passes, it would also need to pass the House before heading to President Biden's desk.