House Speaker Paul Ryan signaled Tuesday he would not take up new gun control legislation in the aftermath of Sunday’s deadly church shooting in Texas, and instead called for actions to ensure current gun laws are followed.
“How about enforcing the laws we’ve got on the books?” Ryan, R-Wis., said when asked about gun control legislation as a Tuesday morning press conference.
Ryan said lawmakers “have questions for the Air Force,” as to why it did not report the shooter’s 2014 domestic assault conviction to federal law enforcement officials, which would have kept him from purchasing guns and body armor.
“This man should not have gotten a gun,” Ryan said. “How did this slip through the cracks?”
Democrats are calling for stricter gun control laws, including an expansion of background checks to gun shows and private purchases, as well as banning assault-style weapons.
Ryan praised the two men who chased the shooter out of the church until he pulled over. One of the men, a former NRA instructor, shot the shooter through his body armor and his actions are believed to have prevented more deaths.
“These men put themselves in harm’s way to stop a killer,” Ryan said. “These people are heroes.”
Ryan said lawmakers are praying for those killed and injured in the attack, rejecting criticism from Democrats who say Congress should take action and not just offer prayers.
“And yes, we do pray,” Ryan said.
