Demands for gun controls in US

The deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas left Republicanbacked bills to loosen gun rules facing an uncertain future.

Before the shooting that killed at least 58 people – the deadliest in modern US history – political leaders had been moving forward with bills to ease regulations on gun silencers and allow those with concealedcarry permits to take their weapons to other states.

Republicans have been upbeat about prospects for legislation as they control both the House and Senate and have an ally in the White House in President Donald Trump. But no votes on either bill were scheduled as of yesterday.

Democrats seized on the violence in Nevada to demand tougher gun restrictions, an unlikely scenario as other mass shootings in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida and even attacks on lawmakers failed to unite Congress on any legislative response.

Senator Chris Murphy said it was “time for Congress to get off its ass and do something”.

In an outdoor news conference, former Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords, grievously wounded in a 2011 attack, turned to the Capitol, raised her fist and said: “The nation is counting on you.”

A Republican-led House committee last month backed the silencer bill by Republican Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, who said it would help hunters protect their hearing.

Democrats scoffed, noting that the bill would also allow more armourpiercing ammunition. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi invoked the shooting of Majority Whip Steve Scalise to oppose the bill last week, saying “if you can hear [a gunshot] you can run”. Hillary Clinton tweeted that the crowd in Las Vegas “fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer.”