Senate considers banning gun ownership for those on 'smaller lists'

In the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting, congressional Democrats and party leaders including Hillary Clinton and President Obama — as well as presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump — have pushed for new gun control measures, including a gun ownership ban for those on the government's terrorist watch list.

Now, in search of a compromise in the Republican-led Senate, lawmakers say they may settle for a ban based on "smaller lists" instead of the primary watch list, which includes more than 1.5 million people, some 40 percent of whom are described by the government as having "no recognized terrorist group affiliation."

Exactly what other lists might be used is not yet clear. "There are, I think, somewhere on the order of 11 lists," said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), "and each list represents something else." He added, "A lot of our members want to ensure that whatever is done creates due process for people." A bipartisan group of senators was briefed Wednesday on the rules and compositions of the various lists.

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