Despite modest measures, bipartisan House gun bill true progress

>>> the white house is pushing ahead with an ambitious domestic policy agenda at the start of the president's second term, just like they said they would. there were indications today on the front page of the "times" that there were indications the president would move sooner rather than later. white house should put congress on alert that they should expect to get something done on election reform . president obama is expected to give it some national spotlight during his big prime-time election speech, exactly a week from tonight. the president is expected to look at immigration reform . he met with progressives and labor groups to talk, and then met with business leaders, the c ceos of 12 companies to talk about immigration. yesterday, he was in minneapolis to talk about gun violence and gun safety reform. and there has been some movement on the issue of gun safety reform today. some unexpected movement. on the senate side, republican senator from nevada, dean hiller said that looking at it is a reasonable thing to do, a reasonable step forward . yes, that is a baby step, but coming from a republican senator that is a step. even more surprising news on the house side today. today, a bipartisan announcement from four members of the house on gun safety reform. democrats carolyn maloney and elijah cummings , and scott riggel, unveiling a bipartisan gun protection act. when is the last time bipartisan anything came out of the house? the act would do two things, crack down on straw purchasers, so people who can buy guns because they pass a background check , but then they give the guns to a person who can't pass a background check , it would make it illegal. it may surprise you but that is not against the law. so it would change that, the bipartisan would make gun trafficking a federal crime , making it punishable by up to 20 years in prison. now, that is it some right? straw purchases and making it a federal crime . these are not the world's most ambitious proposals? but the bipartisan supporting it? from the house, that is amazing, and on guns, it is amazing. not first yet an assault weapons ban , a mandating ban, something supported even by republican senators and by 92% of the public. but it is something and bipartisan and it is new. the beltway common wisdom that nothing could ever be done about guns for another day, we'll keep you posted. we have breaking news we brought you earlier this hour, an update from the pacific tsunami warning center just reports that based on all available data they expect no tsunami threat to hawaii from that earthquake in the south pacific . a tsunami has been generated in the south pacific tonight from the earthquake near the solomon islands , but officials again at this hour do not believe that the tsunami generated by that quake will affect the u.s. state of hawaii, that is the latest, keep it here on msnbc. now here we have "the last word" with lawrence