WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed its work Thursday on writing bills curbing guns, probably until next week.

The committee is considering Democratic-sponsored bills that would ban assault weapons, strengthen federal laws against illegal gun trafficking, provide money for school safety improvements and expand the requirement for background checks for gun purchasers.

Such delays are common for the committee, which often grants them to give senators more time to work on legislation. As the panel began discussing the measures Thursday, top Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa said he had questions about the constitutionality and cost of some of the measures and said senators needed more time to trying working out differences.