Republican leaders and President Trump talked Tuesday about a variety of gun control measures as well as efforts to better enforce existing laws, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said Tuesday.
“I won’t speak for what the president would offer,” Scalise told reporters after returning from a meeting at the White House with Trump and top Republican leaders in the House and Senate. “He’s been having talks with Senate leaders, both Republicans and Democrats, on ideas. Let’s see if they can come to an agreement.”
Attorney General William Barr was also at the meeting.
Republicans talked to the president about the enforcement of existing laws, Scalise said, and whether Democrats are really interested in a deal “or just getting more aggressive about taking away people’s guns.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday the White House will deliver a plan to Congress that Trump will agree to sign.
They discussed no specifics at the meeting, Scalise said.
“There were general discussions about a lot of ideas that are out there,” Scalise said.
The president, Scalise added, is conducting “good faith negotiations and conversations with a number of senators of both parties.”
Scalise said lawmakers discussed mass shootings that were conducted by individuals who should have been blocked from obtaining weapons.
“The focus needs to be on making sure people who shouldn’t be able to buy guys aren’t, because people are slipping through the cracks,” Scalise said.
Lawmakers also discussed the looming fiscal year deadline and the need to pass spending bills.
They did not talk about Trump’s decision to fire White House national security adviser John Bolton, Scalise said.
Trump told lawmakers he’s committed to securing more federal funding to build new barriers along the southern border to block illegal immigrants from crossing.
Democrats and Republicans are battling over GOP efforts to shift billions in funding to the construction of a southern border wall.
“He wants to secure the nation’s border,” Scalise said.
