McConnell: Any Gun Proposals To Take Back Seat To Debt [VIDEO]

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell federal spending and the country's debt will dominate the congressional agenda for the next three months, and that debate about potential gun legislation in the wake of the Connecticut school shooting will take a back seat.

The Kentucky lawmaker tells ABC's "This Week" that lawmakers will wait to see what an Obama administration review led by Vice President Joe Biden might propose. McConnell says Congress will need to study any recommendations and then see what's appropriate to do.

But he says that over the coming months, nothing much beyond the country's finances will occupy the attention of Congress.

Mitch McConnell tells ABC's "This Week" that the "fiscal cliff" deal puts the tax issue "behind us" and it's time to focus solely on confronting what he calls Washington's "spending addiction."

But House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi tells CBS' "Face the Nation" a push for higher taxes on upper-income earners is "not off the table." She says changes to tax law could involve deductions and other breaks.

McConnell says it shouldn't require a crisis for President Barack Obama and the Democratic majority in the Senate to address federal spending and the future of big entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

Pelosi also took a swipe at Republicans. The former House speaker says the country needs a strong GOP but describes the current party as a "really over-the-edge crowd" that's dominated by an element of "anti-government ideologues" committed to opposing President Barack Obama.

Biden's task force is considering proposals that go beyond banning certain weapons according to the Washington Post. Among the proposals: mandatory universal background checks for firearm buyers, tracking  the movement and sale of weapons through a national database, strengthening mental health checks, and stiffening penalties for carrying guns near schools or giving them to minors.

The proposal also calls for working with gun retailers such as Wal-mart to get support for the measures.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.