Lawmakers face enormous pressure to get something done after devastating mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York.

The chief Republican(GOP) negotiator in the bipartisan talks to finding a gun safety package that can pass the US Senate warned on thursday evening that the negotiations could fall apart if they drag on, as many lawmakers leave Washington for the weekend.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, told reporters earlier that the two major sticking points in the framework are the so-called “boyfriend loophole,” which deals with whether unmarried partners could have guns if they were found guilty of violence against a dating partner, and the distribution of funds for alternative crisis intervention programs, with Democrats wanting to use those funds to incentivize states to pass red flag laws.

Senators have been in a great hurry to try to find out the details to translating these principles into actual legislative text.

Negotiators are acutely aware the effort could fall apart at any time or another issue could emerge that takes their focus away, such as major decisions coming down from the Supreme Court. Those are key reasons they are trying to finish as quickly as possible.

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