WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — In the wake of mass shootings in both Oklahoma and California, lawmakers are continuing to grapple with how to best address the nation’s gun violence problem.
The House has acted with HR-8 a universal bipartisan background checks bill, but the Senate has yet to take up the bill, and in fact, has thwarted efforts by Democrats to do so.
One lawmaker at the forefront of resolving the gun violence problem in America said he’s committed to partnering with the Trump administration to come up with a solution.
Senator Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, said he’s ready to begin negotiations again with the administration, even though talks between Congress and the White House have broken down.
“Not everybody in the White House is focused on impeachment,” Murphy said. “They clearly have people who could come talk to us about keeping this country safe.”
“The only thing preventing that from happening is that the president has chosen to pull his people from the table,” Murphy added.
In the meantime, Murphy is pushing his colleagues to act on a universal background checks bill — but still faces strong opposition in the Senate.
“We can’t fast track legislation that affects America’s second amendment rights,” Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, said.
The Trump administration is taking some executive action regarding gun violence in America.
Attorney General William Barr introduced a plan, called “Project Guardian,” aimed at reducing gun violence.
Barr said the plan will focus on coordinating prosecution, enforcing the background existing check system, improving information sharing, mental health and more.
“To fight gun crime in ways that fit the local circumstances and will leverage the power of the federal law,” Barr said.
But Murphy doesn’t think that plan will be enough.
“This announcement signals the White House is still only willing to do what the [National Rifle Associsation] lets them do,” Murphy said.
Murphy said the White House must break from the NRA to find a new way forward.
