By The Associated Press

Published: Thursday, February 7, 2013, 10:10 p.m.
Updated: Thursday, February 7, 2013

DENVER — The National Rifle Association's president said Thursday that he's confident that Congress won't approve an assault-weapons ban or a limit on high-capacity ammunition magazines in response to mass shootings in Colorado and Connecticut last year.

David Keene predicted failure for all congressional measures related to guns, including expanded background checks for purchases.

“I tell you what these things are. These are all feel-good proposals, because at the end of the day, what do they do to prevent” a mass shooter? asked Keene.

Keene was in Denver to talk to Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, and state lawmakers. He met with The Associated Press for an interview before sitting down with state officials. He talked about prospects for federal gun-control measures under discussion in Congress and predicted political peril for Democrats who support such bills.

“The Senate's where the action's going to be,” Keene said. “The House is sort of sitting back, and you can almost hear the House Republican leadership saying under their breath: ‘You know, go ahead. We've got a few members that wouldn't mind sitting in the Senate. If you do this, maybe they will.' So the Senate leadership is much more cautious.”

Sen. Mark Udall, a Democrat representing Colorado, said he disagrees with Keene's assertion that Congress won't do anything.

“In the wake of recent mass shootings, including one in Colorado, the status quo on gun violence is simply unacceptable,” Udall said. “Coloradans expect and deserve better than continued inaction from Congress. I simply disagree that Congress cannot or should not try to reduce mass shootings and gun violence.”

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