Calls to bring ban measure to a vote

Back-to-back mass shootings in Texas and Ohio prompted calls for a renewed ban on assault weapons as pressure mounted Sunday on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to schedule a vote on bipartisan legislation to expand background checks for gun sales.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said the slaughter of nine people in Dayton by a gunman armed with a high-capacity rifle demanded revival of the ban that was in effect nationwide from 1994 through 2004.

“The assault-weapon ban was working,” he told CNN.

Brown called on McConnell to interrupt the Senate’s summer recess and have lawmakers vote on a bill to close the “gun-show loophole” by prohibiting most firearm transfers between private individuals unless a licensed dealer, manufacturer or importer first takes possession of the weapon to conduct a background check.

That measure passed the House of Representatives in February by a vote of 240-190, with eight Republicans in favor and two Democrats opposed.

Presidential candidate and US Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) echoed Brown, telling Fox News, “We’ve got to ban these assault weapons.”

Other lawmakers who called for an emergency Senate session on the background-check proposal included Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), who said more than 14,000 people had died from “senseless gun violence” since the bill passed the House.

US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) also tweeted that McConnell had been “giving bogus excuses” for not advancing the legislation and asked, “Care to explain [to] the people why?”

McConnell’s office didn’t return a request for comment, but his spokesman, David Popp, issued a statement that said the Kentucky Republican had fractured his shoulder when he fell on his patio and was recovering at home.

Popp also said McConnell had spoken with Sen. John Cornyn (RTexas) and Sen. Rob Portman (ROhio), but didn’t mention Brown or Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).