It shouldn’t be news that the U.S. Senate will debate an issue of national importance, but the way things have operated over the last few years, it is.

The Senate beat back a filibuster Thursday and allowed a package of bills addressing gun violence to come onto the floor.

Sixty-eight senators, including both Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King of Maine, voted to allow the bill to go forward and the debate to begin. This was the right decision and lets people hope that the Senate may give up partisan gridlock as its go-to response to every difficult issue.

This vote brings the issue to the starting line, not the finish. Senators still need to vote on the package of bills reported out by the Judiciary committee and numerous amendments, including an expansion of the instant background checks to include most sales by unlicensed dealers.

King has outlined his plan, saying he would vote for expanding background checks and amendments to limit the size of magazines to no more than 10 rounds. Collins has not been as clear on her position, although she is a co-sponsor of two bills that came out of the committee: one that makes gun trafficking a federal felony and one that provides security grants to schools.

Both of those are important, but not as important as making background checks as close to universal as possible.

Breaking the filibuster was good news. Now the Senate should do the hard part and pass these bills.

 

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