McConnell raises possible Senate action on guns
Among the specifics are expanded background checks and ‘red-flag’ laws
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that he spoke to President Donald Trump about working on legislation to tighten the nation’s gun laws after the August recess as both men face heightened public pressure to do something about gun violence after last weekend’s two mass shootings.
The Kentucky Republican, in his first interview since the shootings left 31 dead and dozens injured, specifically mentioned expanding background checks on gun purchases and “red-flag” laws that would allow authorities to confiscate a firearm from someone deemed a risk to themselves or the public.
“Those (are) two items that for sure will be front and center … ,” McConnell said on Kentucky radio station 840WHAS.
At the same time, McConnell, underscored the difficulty in reaching consensus on a divisive issue; Congress has not passed significant gun control legislation since the 1990s.
“It’s always a challenge in making federal legislation, because we do have a lot of differences in our country over an issue like this,” he said.
Democrats have been urging McConnell to bring the Senate back to Washington immediately to vote on a measure the House passed in February to expand background checks on firearm sales. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., sent a letter Thursday to Trump, asking him to use his constitutional powers to force the Senate back into session to vote on the bill.
“Mr. President, we have an opportunity to work in a bipartisan way to pass gun violence prevention background checks. However, Leader Mitch McConnell, describing himself as the ‘grim reaper,’ has been an obstacle to taking any action,” Pelosi wrote.
But McConnell has been steadfast that he wouldn’t bring up anything unless it had Trump’s support and could garner a filibuster-proof 60 votes. Trump has threatened to veto the Housepassed bill.
McConnell described Trump as “anxious to get an outcome.”