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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 2 SepteMber 2019
Trump says he’ll work with Congress to stop mass shootings

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE ment that established the
Associated Press right to keep and bear
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- arms.
dent Donald Trump ex- Trump told reporters ear-
pressed a commitment lier Sunday that he’s been
Sunday, hours after the speaking to lawmakers
latest deadly mass shoot- from both political parties
ing, to work with a divided and “people want to do
Congress to “stop the men- something.” He said the
ace of mass attacks.” He administration is “looking
said any measures must at a lot of different things”
satisfy the competing goals and hopes to have a pack-
of protecting public safe- age ready by the time
ty and the constitutional Congress returns to session
right to gun ownership and next week.
seemed to cast fresh doubt The Republican-controlled
on the merits of institut- Senate has refused to take
ing more thorough back- up several gun-control bills
ground checks for gun pur- that passed the Democrat-
chases. ic-controlled House this
Trump spoke shortly after year, and the GOP histori-
the death toll in Saturday’s cally has opposed many
rampage in West Texas efforts to strengthen the
rose to seven as authori- President Donald Trump speaks at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Sunday, nation’s gun laws.
ties worked to understand Sept. 1, 2019, in Washington. House Speaker Nancy Pe-
why a man pulled over for Associated Press losi called on the Republi-
a traffic infraction opened likely. doubt ever since 17 stu- cally powerfully gun own- can-controlled Senate to
fire on state troopers and “We want to substantially dents and adults were killed ers’ lobby that strongly “end its obstruction” and
fled. He shot more than reduce the violent crime,” in a shooting at a Parkland, backed his bid to become send the gun violence
20 people before he was Trump said at the top of a Florida, high school on Val- president. measures to Trump.
killed by police. A motive briefing about Hurricane entine’s Day in 2018. Trump More recently, he has waf- Republican Sen. Pat Toom-
has not been released. Dorian at Federal Emergen- came out in favor of stron- fled on the merits of stron- ey of Pennsylvania said he
The president said it would cy Management Agency ger background checks ger background checks has discussed the issue with
be “wonderful to say” he’d headquarters in Washing- after the shooting, but then for gun purchases in the Trump and described the
work to “eliminate” mass ton. quickly retreated under aftermath of back-to-back president as “very inter-
shootings, but acknowl- Trump’s commitment to pressure from the National shootings in El Paso, Texas, ested in doing something
edged that that was un- gun control has been in Rifle Association, the politi- and Dayton, Ohio, that meaningful.” Toomey has
killed more than 30 people long pushed a bipartisan
about a month ago. In- bill with Democratic Sen.
stead, Trump sought to el- Joe Manchin of West Vir-
evate mental health issues ginia to expand back-
over access to guns. ground checks and said he
“For the most part, sadly, if remains interested in mea-
you look at the last four or sures to keep guns away
five (shootings) going back from people who shouldn’t
even five or six or seven have them.
years, for the most part, as “We’re going to take a very
strong as you make your serious run at it,” he said.
background checks, they Scott, who was governor
would not have stopped at the time of the Park-
any of it,” he said. “So it’s land school shooting, said
a big problem. It’s a men- officials sat down within
tal problem. It’s a big prob- days of the massacre with
lem.” law enforcement, men-
Trump mentioned the tal health counselors and
need for “strong measures educators. Legislation was
to keep weapons out of quickly passed and signed
the hands of dangerous into law, including a “red-
and deranged individu- flag” statute that would
als” along with changes to allow authorities to con-
a mental health system he fiscate weapons from in-
described as “broken.” He dividuals deemed by the
also called for ensuring that courts to be a threat to
criminals with guns “are put themselves or others.
behind bars and kept off Scott said he doesn’t want
the streets.” to take guns away from
“Public safety is our No. law-abiding citizens, but
1 priority, always want- added that “we’ve got to
ing to protect our Second figure out how we get guns
Amendment. So impor- away from mentally ill peo-
tant,” he said, referring to ple who want to harm oth-
the constitutional amend- ers or themselves.”q