If this issue was properly debated and we had Congressmen that were worth a damn, it would have been resolved long ago with a compromise bill that would have had a LOT of public support and could have been applied federally with exceptions and fringe cases left to the individuals states.

Why hasn't this been done? Because they don't WANT it to be done. It is literally NOT IN THEIR INTEREST to solve the issues of the citizens anymore, but only to protect the interests of their special clubs. They'll spend a few days on it, then go back in hiding for a while.

And if you think they DON'T read their own budget bills, you might have to take a seat. Those bills are where they spend the most effort each year, sitting down with their buddies looking for every opportunity to add pork that returns back to their individual pockets. They will debate the surface items and their lofty goals, change a few lines here and there depending on what works best theatre-wise, but the pork still remains, and everyone playing gets the kickback when the time comes.