Senators drafting gun-control legislation failed to make headway in overcoming certain sticking points before breaking for the weekend, jeopardizing the bipartisan gun-control agreement reached last Sunday.

Two particular provisions are tying up the negotiations, reported ABC News. One focuses on providing federal grants to states to enforce so-called "red flag" laws that temporarily allow authorities to remove guns from people threatening violence. The other aims to close the "boyfriend loophole," which allows convicted domestic abusers to purchase firearms if they aren't married to their partner, even though spouses who perpetrate domestic violence are.

"If we can settle these two issues, I think we're on our way, but I am concerned now given the time it takes and the need to complete our work really by tomorrow that we've got to settle these issues," chief Republican negotiator John Cornyn (R-TX) said.

"We did make progress but we're not there yet," he added.

According to several participants in the discussions, Cornyn repeatedly assured his colleagues that there would be no federal mandate to implement the red flag laws.

"Most of the discussion was around the red flag issue, and that is my greatest concern as well that we do it right," Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said.

Democrats, though, appear to be optimistic that there is a solution to the red flag issue.

"We need to support every possible way to intervene in crisis before they produce violence," Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said. "And red flag laws need investment of hundreds of millions of dollars for them as an incentive but also to implement them and at the same time we can have a variety of other crisis intervention mode that help save lives."

The bipartisan gun-control agreement received a significant boost earlier this week when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) confirmed his support for the legislation. His backing would give the legislation at least sixty-one votes—one more than necessary to overcome a Senate filibuster.

"My view of the framework if it leads to a piece of legislation I intend to support it. I think it is progress for the country and I think the bipartisan group has done the best they can to get total support and the background check enhancement for that age group I think is a step in the right direction," McConnell said.

He added that the proposal "further demonstrates to the American people" that lawmakers can work together on significant issues "to make progress for the country."

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Washington state-based Finance and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.

Image: Reuters.