Senate bipartisan gun safety bill clears key hurdle as final vote could come later Thursday - CNN

The vote was 65-34, and 15 GOP senators joined Democrats to break the filibuster.

The legislation is now on a path to pass the Senate before the week is out -- with the potential for a final vote to take place as early as later Thursday, though it could slip until Friday.

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Todd Young of Indiana, who were not part of the 10 Republicans who initially signed on to support the framework and are up for reelection in November.

Now that the Senate has broken a filibuster, the bill is on track for a final passage vote.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called to pass the bill this week, though the exact timing of a final vote is still to be determined.

A final Senate vote could come as early as Thursday if all 100 senators consent to a time agreement.

It is not yet clear how quickly the bill could move through both chambers, but if the Senate holds a final passage vote Thursday evening, the House could pass the measure soon after.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said that if the Senate passes the gun safety bill on Thursday, the House will convene and pass it Thursday as well.

"We'll try to do it today," he said.

"If they move it that quickly, we'll get it done."

Senate rules allow any one senator to slow down the process, and Schumer on Thursday called on Senate Republicans to work with Democrats to get the legislation passed "before the day is out."

The legislation came together in the aftermath of recent, tragic mass shootings at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school and at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket, which was in a predominantly Black neighborhood.

A bipartisan group of negotiators set to work in the Senate and unveiled legislative text on Tuesday.

But even with House GOP leaders opposing the bill, there are already some House Republicans who have indicated they plan to vote for it, and the Democrat-controlled chamber is expected to be able to pass the legislation once it passes in the Senate.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has promised to "swiftly bring it to the floor" of the House once it passes the Senate, "so that we can send it to President Biden's desk."

"While more is needed, this package must quickly become law to help protect our children," Pelosi said in a statement.