The Republican leader’s backing enhanced prospects for legislation drafted to prevent a repeat of the Jan. 6 assault, when rioters tried to pressure the vice president to overturn the election.
The legislation, opposed by most Republicans, is a bid to update the law that former President Donald J. Trump tried to exploit on Jan. 6, 2021, to invalidate his defeat.
Lawmakers in both parties are eager to act after former President Donald J. Trump and his allies sought to exploit a 135-year-old law to overturn the 2020 election.
Among the sticking points holding up a final agreement on gun legislation is how to define a boyfriend in a provision meant to keep guns away from domestic abusers.