The Hill

Congressional leaders have agreed to strengthen background checks for gun purchases as part of a must-pass government funding package, according to a senior GOP source.

The bipartisan Fix NICS (National Instant Criminal Background System) Act, which would encourage states to report more frequently to the current criminal database, will be attached to the omnibus spending bill that is expected to be unveiled Wednesday afternoon.

I've been ambivalent about Fix-NICS. Background checks are a flawed premise, particularly as implemented. But they are what we've got and having something in place is a lot more effective at holding off worse gun control measures than not having anything at all.

Doing it this way -- attaching it to must-pass legislation without significant public debate on the merits -- is a classic smoke-filled back room political move. I don't like that much even when it's supposedly our guys doing it, and I don't like giving the gun control crowd anything for free.

I'm not sure whether I should be opposing this or not, but I do think it needs to be known so the gun community can decide whether to be angry about it.

UPDATE: House Freedom Caucus will introduce amendments to the omnibus. One of them would strip the Fix-NICS language, arguing that it was merged with the national concealed carry reciprocity bill and needs to be passed together with that legislation. I'd support that; it has benefits for both sides. Other amendments defund grant programs for sanctuary cities and defund planned parenthood.