House supporters of a bill banning certain types of assault-style firearms are within five to 10 votes of passing the measure, its chief sponsor said Wednesday.
"We're gaining," Rep. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said the day before the scheduled vote. "Last night was the first night I went to bed thinking we have a decent chance to win this."Since last week, the Clinton administration and House supporters have buckled down with almost nonstop media events and contacts with undecideds.
"What happened is, some of the people who were undecided are saying, `Yes,' and some of the people who had been committed `No,' are coming off," Schumer said.
Those changing their minds are "a mixture, mainly suburban Republicans from the Northeast and Midwest, and Democrats from a variety of stripes, mainly Southern and Western."
President Clinton was phoning some of the undecideds Wednesday, and Cabinet members were going to be putting on the pressure as well, Schumer said.
The legislation would stop production and sale of 19 assault-style firearms and copycat models and limit detachable magazines to 10 rounds. The bill exempts 650 named rifles and shotguns and would not take away any guns now legally in private hands.
Similar provisions were incorporated in the Senate crime bill passed last November. The House crime bill passed two weeks ago did not address the issue.
The last time the House voted on banning assault-style weapons - in October 1991 - the measure failed by 70 votes, 247-177.