Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 26 February 2018

Congress has ideas on gun violence, but no consensus

By LISA MASCARO and shot,” Toomey said Sunday
MATTHEW DALY on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Associated Press The Senate more likely
WASHINGTON (AP) — After will turn to a bipartisan bill
a 10-day break, members from Sens. John Cornyn,
of Congress are returning R-Texas and Chris Murphy,
to work under hefty pres- D-Conn., to strengthen FBI
sure to respond to the out- background checks — a
cry over gun violence. But response to a shooting last
no plan appears ready November in which a gun-
to take off despite a long man killed more than two
list of proposals, including dozen people at a Texas
many from President Don- church.
ald Trump. That bill would penalize
Republican leaders have federal agencies that don’t
kept quiet for days as properly report required re-
Trump tossed out ideas, cords and reward states
including raising the mini- that comply by providing
mum age to purchase them with federal grant
assault-style weapons and preferences. It was drafted
arming teachers, though after the Air Force acknowl-
on Saturday the president edged that it failed to re-
tweeted that the latter was port the Texas gunman’s
"Up to states." domestic violence convic-
Their silence has left little in- tion to the National Crimi-
dication whether they are nal Information Center da-
ready to rally their ranks be- In this Feb. 21, 2018, photo, school students from Montgomery County, Md., in suburban Washing- tabase.
ton, rally in solidarity with those affected by the shooting at Parkland High School in Florida, at the
hind any one of the presi- Capitol in Washington. The House passed it last
dent's ideas, dust off anoth- Associated Press year, but only after GOP
er proposal or do nothing. leaders added an unrelat-
The most likely legislative Scalise, R-La., the third- dous support. It's time. It's longtime NRA member, ed measure pushed by the
option is bolstering the fed- ranking House GOP leader, time." wrote in The New York National Rifle Association.
eral background check sys- when asked about solu- Trump's early ideas were Times that he now supports That measure expands gun
tem for gun purchases, but tions. "The breakdowns that met with mixed reactions an assault-weapons ban. rights by making it easier for
it's bogged down after be- happen, this is what drives from his party. His talk of Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., gun owners to carry con-
ing linked with a less popu- people nuts," said Scalise, allowing teachers to carry said he expects to talk soon cealed weapons across
lar measure to expand gun who suffered life-threaten- concealed weapons into with Trump, who has said state lines.
rights. ing injuries when a gunman classrooms was rejected he wants tougher back- The package also included
The halting start reflects firm opened fire on lawmakers' by at least one Republican, ground checks, as Toomey a provision directing the
GOP opposition to any bill baseball team practice last Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. revives the bill he proposed federal Bureau of Alcohol,
that would curb access to year. House Speaker Paul Ryan, earlier with Sen. Joe Man- Tobacco, Firearms and Ex-
guns and risk antagoniz- Under tough public ques- R-Wis., and Senate Majority chin, D-W.Va., to expand plosives to review “bump-
ing gun advocates in their tioning from shooting survi- Leader Mitch McConnell, presale checks for firearms stock” devices like the one
party. Before the Feb. 14 vors, Trump has set high ex- R-Ky., both spoke to Trump purchases online and at used during the shooting at
shooting at a high school in pectations for action. on Friday. Their offices de- gun shows. a Las Vegas music festival
Parkland, Florida, that killed "I think we're going to have clined comment on the First introduced after the that left 58 people dead
17 people, Republicans a great bill put forward conversations or legislative Sandy Hook Elementary and hundreds injured.
had no intention of reviving very soon having to do strategy. School shooting in 2012 in Murphy told The Associ-
the polarizing and political- with background checks, Some Republicans backed Connecticut, the measure ated Press he was invited
ly risky gun debate during having to do with getting up Trump's apparent en- has twice been rejected by to discuss gun issues with
an already difficult election rid of certain things and dorsement of raising the the Senate. Some Demo- the White House and he
year that could endanger keeping other things, and age minimum for buying crats in GOP-leaning states was interested in hearing
their congressional major- perhaps we'll do something some weapons. joined with Republicans to the president’s ideas. He
ity. on age," Trump said in a Fox Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., defeat the measure. Toom- said he did not expect the
"There's no magic bill that's News Channel interview said he would support rais- ey’s office said he is seeking Florida shooting to lead to
going to stop the next thing Saturday night. He added: ing the age limit to buy a to build bipartisan support a major breakthrough in
from happening when so "We are drawing up strong semi-automatic weapon after the latest shooting. Congress for those who’ve
many laws are already on legislation right now hav- like the one used in Florida. “Our president can play long pushed for tighter gun
the books that weren't be- ing to do with background Rubio also supports lifting a huge and, in fact, prob- laws.
ing enforced, that were checks, mental illness. I the age for rifle purchases. ably decisive role in this. So “I hope this time will be
broken," said Rep. Steve think you will have tremen- Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., a I intend to give this another different.”q